Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

It would be helpful if we could get an answer from the Minister of State on that point. Our argument is that the Bill is too prescriptive in respect of the medical professionals required in the first instance and on the review committee. In the case of a threat of suicide, why would one need an obstetrician? An obstetrician's qualifications have no bearing whatsoever on the assessment of whether there is a real and substantial threat of suicide by a woman. Can the Minister of State explain why this is so prescriptive? We are arguing that it should not be so prescriptive. The bar is being set higher for a woman whose life is threatened than would be the case if there was no pregnancy at stake. In any other circumstances, one doctor rather than three would be required to make an assessment of whether somebody's life is under threat. Therefore, the Government is setting a higher bar here and consequently jeopardising the safety of women.

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