Dr. Peter Boylan:

I agree with Professor Arulkumaran that all the evidence is that the rate of termination comes down once more liberalised legislation is introduced for all of the obvious reasons.

Senator Buttimer referred to the floodgates opening. There was a great deal of concern expressed by some people about the inclusion of suicide as a risk to the life of the mother in the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Act, and that women would abuse this provision. That has not happened. I do not think women will abuse any legislation.

Termination is a very distressing thing to have to go through. I should also say that women who have terminations for babies with serious abnormalities grieve for those babies. They name them, they really feel deeply about it and they are very angry at having to travel abroad. I do not think members should underestimate that anger. It is out there, justifiably.