Ms Liz McDermott:

One Day More only hears the experiences that women relay to it. We are not in a position, and do not have the resources, to conduct meaningful research in hospitals. The Deputy is right, in that some people thankfully have a positive experience. They are given support and are not put under pressure. Increasingly, however, other people feel like they are being put under pressure. We do not have answers as to why. We can only report that it is happening based on what people tell us. On occasion, people even change hospitals because they cannot withstand the pressure.

The Deputy is right about this not being in line with medical guidelines. It is anecdotal evidence as reported to us, but we have no reason to doubt it. It should not happen. No hospital should treat a woman in that way who has stated her intention to continue with her pregnancy. That should be fully supported. Perhaps the problem is that there is an additional cost in the provision of perinatal hospice care within the antenatal setting. Hospitals must manage budgets and so on. I cannot say, but it is for the Government to inquire as to why women are going through this kind of experience. I am glad to be able to report that it is what they are going through. It should not happen. Where women have declared their intention to proceed, they and their families should be fully supported and their babies' lives, no matter how deformed or short lived, should be honoured and respected fully.