Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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People say it was a political decision. If decisions are made by me, as Minister, then all decisions I make are political decisions. It was sought by most members of this committee, by women and by GPs telephoning the helpline and asking for guidance to be issued in relation to it. A fee was agreed with the GPs' representative body to pay GPs to do this. It was one that I put in place as part of the reassurance, with the agreement of my chief medical officer and senior officials in my Department and I believe they were correct.