Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I will finish on that. Some of my questions relate to abortion pills, which have changed attitudes towards abortion in this country. It is inevitable that eventually, no matter what happens on this committee, that will continue to be normalised here.

The mental health of all women who want abortions matters, and of course this is the case for women who are suicidal. Is it the case that suicide is the leading cause of direct maternal death in Ireland? In Professor O'Keane's statement, she noted that pregnancy should be a time of great joy, which is how it is often portrayed, but it is also the time when women are most likely to suffer from depression. In her presentation, Professor O'Keane noted the link where the lower a person's socio-economic status and lack of support, the higher the rate of depression. Will she expand on this? Does she think that these are some of the reasons women choose abortion?