Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 8 November 2017
Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution
Risks to Mental Health: Dr. Anthony McCarthy, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street
1:30 pm
Dr. Anthony McCarthy:
No. Everybody can opt out if he or she so wishes.
A number of doctors have opted out because they felt they did not have the qualifications or experience or simply did not want to do it. There are real difficulties in finding a second psychiatrist, or two psychiatrists if the first psychiatrist does not want to certify. It is a real problem.