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

I thank Dr. Lohr for coming before the committee and giving us her views. I have a couple of questions. What is the extent of the risk associated with ordinary, conventional birth and with abortion? Has Dr. Lohr compared the figures in the UK and how do they stack up?

To what extent is counselling that comes before, during or after the process of terminating a pregnancy available in the UK for women in Ireland who travel over to have a termination? Have the witnesses studied the statistics in other European countries? In some cases, there is a vastly different number of abortions per 1,000 in countries where abortion is permitted. Have the witnesses come to a conclusion as to why that might be? Switzerland and Sweden might be compared, since the rate in Sweden is approximately three times as high as Switzerland.