Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Bill defines a medical practitioner as one who is on the register of the Irish Medical Council. I agree with Deputy O'Reilly that the amendment aims to provide for the the health service to decide when and where we expand the services such that women have access to them, rather than waiting for future legislation to so do. It is not saying that we will do it tomorrow, next week, in two months' time or in a year's time but it allows for a future model whereby nurses and midwives could undertake specialist training and develop an equal competence with doctors to take responsibility for aspects of abortion care in non-complex cases. The WHO recommends broader access to the provision of abortion services. This is an important amendment. The Minister stated that there would be a review. Would the Minister be happy for this aspect to dealt with in that review?