Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

On the Dutch model, one thing they have in Holland is compulsory non-ethos-based sex education from an appropriate early age onwards. Those here who have a difficulty with legislation for abortion but simultaneously complain that not enough is being done about socio-economic policies will, I assume, support recommendations from the Citizens' Assembly that will bring in free contraception and a non-ethos-based compulsory sex education system. I assume that would the logic of somebody who is concerned about socio-economic issues.

Deputy Harty raised an interesting point and I would like the Minister to address it. With regard to section 14, I think Deputy Harty was asking if it is necessary to bring the pregnant person back in front of the doctor twice. Can a doctor see a person on one day, prescribe ahead and tell that person to take the prescription on the third day, then call the doctor to say how she got on? The doctor can keep an eye on the patient from there on. Is it possible to do that in the context of this legislation? It is an interesting question coming from somebody who is at the coalface of delivery of general practitioner, GP, services and understands better than most of us how difficult it is to get GP appointments in a country that has a ratio of GPs to population that is probably lower than most of the rest of Europe. We have a crisis in that aspect of our health service as well as everything else. Will the Minister address that in the context of best international practice for abortion services, which is having them take place as early as possible?

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