Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending today. My colleague, Deputy Durkan, referred to the slide - perhaps it could be displayed - with the feelings after abortions, including guilt, sadness, feelings of loss, low, and disappointed. I would assume that there is a correlation with the same feelings someone would have after a miscarriage. Are there any comparative data? Is data available to compare whether women have similar feelings after a miscarriage? I am trying to work out if there is a difference in that regard. There is no reference to a term that is thrown around a bit, which is "abortion regret". Was that considered or is that just one of those made up things? Could the witnesses qualify that for me?

On the evidence from Women on Web, have we any evidence that women are procuring pills online and saying that they are under ten weeks pregnant when, in fact, they are 14 or 16 weeks pregnant? Have we any data to show the complications that might arise out of off-licence use of the product and long-term health implications if a woman takes it too late?

Looking at this from outside Ireland, as the witnesses do, in an international global context would the approach taken by consecutive Irish Governments to women's policy be considered quite primitive? Are they surprised that as a modern country we are having this conversation here today? I cannot believe we are having these conversations, but we are.

To clarify some of the matters-----