Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We would like to reduce the number of practitioners to two or one but we know that would never be accepted. We hoped the Government might at least accept this amendment. An obstetrician could refuse a termination to a woman with suicidal intent on the basis of suicidal ideation. Many people do not believe an obstetrician is in a position to make that decision when a psychiatrist is already involved. I ask the Minister of State to accept the amendment. A GP or other medical practitioner can play that role and the GP is probably in the best position to assist a woman making that decision.

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