Ms Orla O'Connor:

Yes, absolutely. We have certainly heard some of the public reporting on protests outside the National Maternity Hospital. We also know of doctors who have decided not to go ahead with surgeries, on a weekend, for example, because of protests happening outside. We are not that far away from when we had the referendum and we have also spoken a great deal about the stigmatisation of abortion, so of course these protests cause real concern for women. We have said this several times today, but this legislation was promised at the time of the original Act and yet we have had this enormous delay. This legislation must be introduced as speedily as possible because it is part of the frame around the stigmatisation of what is a healthcare service for women.