Ms Maeve Taylor:

I am very happy to clarify my comments on the socioeconomic grounds. My point was that we would not want to see in law specific socioeconomic grounds, so that one would have a 12-week gestation limit, and then women would have to make a case for abortion on the basis of socioeconomic need. The gestation limit excludes those in particular who have pressing socioeconomic need for abortion care over 12 weeks. We need to remove the 12-week limit, so that rather than having a situation where somebody would have to plead for an abortion on the basis of their particular case, they would be able to request abortion without having to justify their decision, the same as in the current situation before 12 weeks. We know from the international data that most women present well before 12 weeks. However, in those cases where a pregnancy becomes a crisis after 12 weeks, it is important women have access to care. They should not need to justify that on socioeconomic grounds. There simply should not be a gestation limit that makes it an issue.

On the issue of safety zones, I agree completely with Deputy Bríd Smith. The protests outside healthcare providers are instances of targeted harassment of women who need healthcare, as well as of providers. Those who carry out those protests know the Irish Family Planning Association, IFPA, will not change its policy on delivering abortion care. They tend to target the hospitals and smaller providers. This is particularly difficult for providers who are living close to their practices and living within the communities, such as those outside Dublin and in smaller towns and areas. There is a need for action on that.

I will pass to Dr. Henchion to talk more about the chilling factor and access to scanning. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the ancillary recommendations, which brings us back to the issue of unintended pregnancy as the critical factor here. At the end of March, we supported the launch of a report by the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA. This report was called, Seeing the unseen: the case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy. Empowering people to have the means to prevent pregnancy through education and information and through access to contraception care are critical. I will now pass to Dr. Henchion for more on the contraception, the scanning issue and the chilling factor.