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

I thank Mr. Edwards and Ms Cullen-Delsol and echo the sentiment expressed by the Chair. I understand it is not easy for the witnesses to share their stories and it is extremely regrettable that it is necessary for them to do so. We sincerely thank them for sharing their stories with the committee. I understand the point Mr. Edwards made about people being afraid to talk to a priest about this issue. I can see exactly why it is regrettable and I imagine it is very real.

With regard to the support the group provided to the two women who took cases to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, will the witnesses talk us through that journey and the support the group provided to the women in question? Will they elaborate on the full range of prenatal tests that are required? We know, for example, that the maternity strategy was launched in January 2016 and that access to anomaly scanning is very much hit and miss. The witnesses are correct that access sometimes depends on a person's bank balance. However, it can also depend on where a person lives. We heard statements that scans are offered where clinically indicated but a screening scan will clearly not be clinically indicated.

When discussing the time involved, will the witnesses explain the screening that is available and the extent to which it needs to be enhanced in order to provide a full service? As Ms Cullen-Delsol stated, the first screening may show cause for further investigation. Given that time is often very important in these types of cases, will the witnesses talk the committee through how the process would work for people living in County Kerry or another area where people may not have access to these scans? What are the implications of this?