Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Professor McCarthy said that the findings showed that an unwanted pregnancy was associated with increased risk to mental health, but the rates of mental health problems in unwanted pregnancies were the same after termination or whether a woman gave birth. I presume the research was carried out in countries with very liberal regimes. We heard evidence today that Ireland, Andorra and, I understand, Malta are the only countries in the vicinity which have very restrictive regimes.

Professor McCarthy, quoting women's personal experiences, said women who were exposed to strongly negative attitudes towards abortion in general were likely to have worse outcomes. My question may be unfair, but I will ask it. Would it be fair to say a very restrictive abortion regime, where there are constitutional provisions almost preventing women from having choice, would portray a very negative attitude towards women who wish to choose whether to have a termination?

Would it be fair to say that in very restrictive countries where abortion is almost impossible to obtain that would have a more detrimental effect on a woman's mental health if she then chose to have an abortion? If somebody had to travel or obtained pills on the Internet and had an abortion, would a restrictive regime be a factor in somebody's mental health?