Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 December 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Absolutely. It is the entire operation of the Act. I will give one quick example on exactly this point. During the Covid pandemic, an operational decision was taken that the consultation between a woman and her GP could be remote, whereas when we were passing this Act it was very much part of the discussion that they should meet up. I think we spent a lot of time discussing what was meant by the word "examination", for example. During the Covid pandemic, that was relaxed. I have no doubt that post the Covid pandemic, whenever that may be, one of the things to be looked at will be whether a remote consultation, which is deemed to be appropriate now, should stay. That is an example of how the operational recommendations could change.