Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is no legal impediment to adoption. It is legal in this State and anybody who has a crisis pregnancy and who chooses that as an outcome can do it. Deputy Fitzpatrick seems to be concerned that there are not enough children. The only alternative is that we reverse the Chinese policy of restricting numbers of children and mandate every woman to have four children. Then, if she cannot afford a couple of them, give them up for adoption. It is not really practical.

On his point, however, this is the ancillary section. The Citizens' Assembly asked us to give this serious consideration and we have heard a great deal of evidence in recent weeks to the effect that the biggest, positive news is that the best way to reduce abortion rates is the availability of contraception. More than any restrictive legislation, this is what will change the situation and address concerns. What has been done in the way of a cost-benefit analysis of the provision of free universal access to contraception as part of the health service? The most recent data in this regard come from the Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Study 2010, or ICCP 2010. We cannot make policy if we do not have data. Are we reviewing that? Are there plans to initiate a new study? Has the HSE costed contraceptive availability as part of the health service programme?