Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution
Health Care Issues - Crisis Pregnancy Management: Ms Janice Donlon, HSE
1:30 pm
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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She does not. I appreciate her honesty. I will continue.
In terms of the language used around a fatal foetal abnormality, I am sure that the witnesses are aware, and I do not suggest that they are not aware, that the HSE brought in new guidelines. Indeed, I introduced a Private Members' Bill, not that we wanted to lock anyone up or fine medics, but because we wanted more sanitised and less crude language used when a pregnant mother and her spouse, partner or whoever received the devastating diagnosis. How have the new guidelines been operated?
I was involved in the negotiations for the programme for Government and it was agreed that perinatal hospice services would be included. I ask the witnesses to comment on the two issues, please.