Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution

International Context: Dr. Patricia Lohr, British Pregnancy Advisory Service

1:30 pm

Photo of Rónán MullenRónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I believe it is one in five. In Ireland, taking Dr. Lohr's figures, it is approximately one in 19, so not quite four times the rate in Britain. Dr. Lohr is not the first witness to come before the committee not to note that. I do not believe she is suggesting that three times as many women from Ireland are going to the Netherlands as to Britain for abortion. Does she accept that we have a much lower abortion rate than Britain and that maybe linked to the protective effect of laws that promote the life of two persons, mother and baby?

Dr. Lohr uses terms such as "abortion care" and "when the pregnancy passes", which many people would regard as euphemistic. If one believes there are two humans deserving of care, that situation does not care for the unborn child. Dr. Lohr is an obstetrician. Am I correct in presuming that she has done abortions for BPAS and other organisations?

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