Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are doing a lot in tandem. Yes, we are absolutely not waiting on this review to act in ways where we can improve the situation. As we discussed earlier, I am legislating for safe access zones and that will come before the committee, as we said, in the coming months for legislative scrutiny. We are absolutely not waiting on the review for this.

Free contraception was one of the other big service provisions that was discussed at the time. We are not waiting. The provision is being brought in next year. There are numerous other women's health initiatives that are being funded this year and then expanded through next year. For example, the national maternity strategy, which I recall is a 2016 strategy. It is a really good strategy. The strategy got full funding this year and it will get full funding next year. There is a lot of good work being done with the maternity strategy. Across the country there are a lot of other investments going on in terms of women's health.

The Deputy asked whether work can be done. Earlier it was discussed about engaging directly with the maternity units around the country to see what improvements can be made and what possible capacity gaps. That work is resuming.

The Chairman raised the issue of fatal foetal abnormality and asked whether more can be done. Yes, and in fact there is a piece of work that has been kicked off by Dr. Peter McKenna, who is the clinical director of the national women and infants programme, in terms of looking at adverse events that have happened when it comes to the termination of pregnancy engaging directly with the patients, women, partners and clinicians involved. That is something that had not been in placed before now. There is additional work going on anyway specifically around adverse events, including adverse events concerning fatal foetal abnormality when it comes to the termination of pregnancy services in Ireland.