Dr. Caitriona Henchion:

On the question of whether we seek the involvement of the putative father in the case, the answer is "No", we do not. If a woman would like to have her partner involved at any stage, that is completely encouraged. We do not actively seek involvement of any third party in that respect. I think I already have answered the question on minors in so far as counsellors are very proactive about trying to involve parental engagement in the situation for the good of the young person and to give her support and protection.

On the question of how many women I have seen who have had an illegal abortions, I probably said that we see them, but we do not see many. We are probably only seeing a very tiny percentage of those women who are having illegal abortions, because they are reluctant to come and they will only come if there is a problem. On the question of whether I would report those women, I do not. I feel my primary concerns are their confidentiality and health and well-being. I would feel that if I were going to get into the situation where I would report them, it will deter them further from seeking medical attention. That creates a more unsafe environment for women.