Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates and thank them for their participation. In Ireland's case we are in the area where the purpose of an abortion is to save the woman's life. It is also true, of course, that it does not necessarily have to be an abortion. My definition of abortion is to terminate the life of the child still to be born to achieve a result. As we know, it is possible to intervene to save a woman's life without killing the child. Will Dr. Sedgh comment on this?

I am a little confused about the statistics for Germany as compared with those for the United Kingdom, for example. There are liberal or readily available abortion services on socioeconomic grounds, but there are considerable restrictions in Germany related to the provision of counselling and advice. There is a thorough examination of the person presenting, whether she is single, married or whatever the case may be. There seems to be a heavy reliance on counselling and the provision of support services that do not seem to be a feature in the United Kingdom, for example, and certainly are not a feature for Irish women availing of abortions in the United Kingdom. With regard to abortion rates across various countries in which abortion is legal on broad grounds, we can compare the likes of Sweden with Switzerland. There is a dramatic difference in the level of abortions in the two countries. Is that for some reason we have not spotted? There seems to be something bvious that is not jumping up to hit me.

I am a little concerned about the suggestion the European Union is watching us and might be on our case again. There are a number of matters on which we are watching it also. I am a little uneasy about that slant. This is an independent state and we observe EU law in almost every case. In some recent times there has been a tendency for us to feel we must reiterate our right to exercise our own options. Will the delegates comment on these matters?