Dr. Caitriona Henchion:

On the subject of how to decide what is a socioeconomic ground and how could that be put into a legal framework, I think I have already said that is a very difficult thing to do.

I think it would probably also take a lot of time to do. If somebody feels that in her particular set of circumstances she cannot continue with the pregnancy, we have to trust her. In having a consultation with somebody, we have to trust that those appear to be real concerns and that is the decision the person has made. Obviously, if somebody is not actually certain of what she wants to do, then it is not anybody's role to try to convince her to go in one direction or another. The role of any consultation, any first contact, will be to identify those women who need more support with their decision and make sure that they get those supports, whether they are financial, practical or more counselling and more time. That is really where the important thing comes in about identifying socioeconomic problems and making sure that those women get the resources so that socioeconomic factors do not necessarily have to be deciding factors in what they do about their crisis pregnancy. I think trying to come up with a whole load of socioeconomic grounds that would then allow an abortion is not the way to go and would not be helpful.