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

My apologies, as I had to attend the Dáil for Question Time. I welcome our guests. I have four, or maybe five, questions for them.

Form the discussions that have taken place between the professional groups, the Department of Health and the HSE, has agreement been reached, and is everyone in accord, on the concept of doing everything possible to meet the January deadline?

Dr. Favier correctly referred to the suite of ancillary or supportive services, including family planning and sex education in schools, which was not mentioned, that would provide information to men and women, boys and girls, in such a way as to improve their knowledge of the situation as life opens up before them, for example, how to deal with the kinds of situation that can arise in emergencies and their respective responsibilities in that regard. How have these issues been examined in the professional exchanges since the referendum?

I do not agree with the now-emerging notion that a three-day waiting period is not necessary. It was discussed at great length during the committee's hearings. Reference has been made to other jurisdictions in which three-day or four-day waiting periods are applied. A good number of European countries are counted. In some cases, the Netherlands and Germany have longer waiting periods than is envisaged here. Importantly, the committee discussed this matter at great length. We agreed or disagreed, but we proceeded on that basis and the referendum followed. According to the submission made by the medical professionals from the Netherlands, the women involved sometimes changed their minds, as was their right. That right should be accommodated and I stand over that statement. If there is a compelling reason for a woman or girl to seek a termination, she has a right to have counselling and some time. That time should not be of such an extent to endanger her life or whatever the case may be, only to allow her to make a decision based on the best evidence available and what action is most appropriate for her in her particular circumstances.

That is why we come back to the GPs as the first point of counselling. The GP must be in a position to advise a pregnant woman in such circumstances on what is best for her. It is not within our remit to change what we have done because the people made the decision on the basis of the Citizens' Assembly hearings, the hearings in this committee room and the submissions made by various people in different, and in some cases appalling, circumstances. It is important to try to remember that.

Based on the discussions between professional groups and the HSE and the Minister, are the witnesses all of one opinion on the feasibility of putting together the package of services deemed to be required?

I accept the right to conscientious objections. Based on the witnesses' discussions with their own professional groups and also with the HSE and the Department of Health, do they believe the services will have the ability to provide a universal service reasonably evenly across the country without areas that will require no services or sparse services? Will the same constitutional benefits extend to all people throughout the country no matter where they live, without exception?

My last question is on the medical and surgical issue. The most important thing is to address the health and safety issue, to make the service available and to make sure it is of the highest quality in order that nothing prevents a woman who may have a crisis pregnancy, whatever the case may be, from gaining access to the clinical advice and services required to address the issues she may have at any particular time. For instance, I can see the three-day waiting period readily being accommodated within the system as it stands if there is a will to do so. It is important that nothing shall impede the availability of the kind of service that a particular pregnant woman needs at a particular time. I emphasise that because in the past there have been instances where in the aftermath people have said if something else had been done earlier, there might have been a different outcome. We need to get away from that. It is long since passed the time when women will allow a situation to prevail whereby anything less than the best and highest quality first response is available to them at all times. That is what they spoke about and that is what the people who voted in the referendum spoke about and voted on. We have to stick to it.