Dr. Brendan O'Shea:

To summarise and conclude, the ICGP is thankful that the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution invites our input. Abortion is a divisive, difficult and polarising topic. Irish general practitioners have debated this theme internally within college, and similarly to the broader population, we have witnessed conflicting opinions, concerns and beliefs among our own group. The constitutional criminalisation of abortion in Ireland has made this a more difficult issue to discuss in public. It has also made a significantly more difficult issue when attempting to provide care in the care setting. However, crisis pregnancy is a large-scale reality facing Irish women. Many Irish women choose to access abortion services, which we must deal with more effectively as a society. The eighth amendment clearly raises difficult ethical and moral issues for the public and health care providers. We hope that the ICGP has informed on how crisis pregnancy can impact the health of the woman, and how GPs currently care for such women. We outlined the impact on the health of women, as requested by the committee. We will not recommend solutions for that is for this committee to decide.