Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and the witnesses. I am substituting for my colleague, Senator Paul Gavan, who had to leave for a vote in the Seanad.

I am interested in the three witnesses' views on the issue of risk. Is there such a thing as a gradation of risk such as serious risk and grave risk? Those are the types of terminologies we are using and indeed that the Citizens' Assembly used, but I am not sure if they are legal terminologies or if they translate easily or at all into a medical setting. If we are going to have a discussion about that, we should try to guide ourselves towards being helpful to the medical practitioners who ultimately are going to be at the business end of the results as it were. Could the witnesses let us know their views in relation to risk?

Professor Arulkumaran said there is an immediate and urgent requirement for a clear statement of the legal context in which clinical professional judgment can be exercised in the best medical welfare and interests of patients. Could Professor Arulkumaran explain to us why and how the team reached that conclusion and how that can best be implemented through legislation, regulations and guidelines?

My final question is to Dr. Boylan and Dr. Ní Bhuinneáin. It relates to the Irish system as it currently stands, its resources and personnel. In the event of a repeal of the eighth amendment and the provision, in circumstances however limited or otherwise they may be, of wider availability of access for woman to abortion health care, do we have the personnel? Do they need to be trained? In particular, will there be a rural and an urban split? There is clearly in operation somewhat of a postcode lottery with regard to access to some maternity services. We have discussed this at the health committee. Is it the witnesses' contention that we would need to see significant investment in capital or in people? Do we have the buildings, and we just need to put the people in them? Do we have the people and do they need additional training? How close would we be to implementing a more liberalised regime?