Dr. Anthony McCarthy:

Women go to psychiatrists. Men go to prison with their violence. There is almost an attitude nowadays that no matter what happens in people's lives they need counselling. It is rubbish to suggest that someone who has been bereaved needs counselling. Most people, following bereavement, want to be silent or talk to their partner, spouse, mother or friend. They do not need counselling. After major trauma there is a notion that people need to be debriefed in some way. The reality is that often a debriefing does more harm than good. People who want counselling will seek out a counsellor and talk. People who do not, but are forced to, will tell a counsellor nothing. The session will be empty and useless and the person will resent it. In fact, one may do people more harm by forcing them into a process which demeans them.

The women who come to see me in Holles Street for advice want that advice and, therefore, are very open and tend to bring up all of the key questions. As the committee knows, it will be a very long time before we have enough psychiatrists in Ireland to see everyone. I currently have 1.5 days a week in Holles Street and have two colleagues in the other Dublin maternity hospitals. There are no such specialists anywhere outside of Dublin. The idea that women would have to undergo counselling is impractical. More truthfully, the idea that every woman who ever had a mental health problem should have that assessed by a psychiatrist before she can have a termination is an insult to women.