Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will first address amendment No. 41. Records are important to ensure that doctors are made aware when a woman who has already had an abortion is about to have a second or third abortion. I am sure there are implications for the women in question and they need to be protected given the level of care they need. It is very important that proper records are kept to determine if there is an external reason for a woman having more than one abortion.

On amendment No. 44, I have been asked a lot of questions about the issue of ultrasound and how a general practitioner would determine if the baby to be aborted is less than 12 weeks in gestation. Will the Minister clarify if a doctor can determine the exact number of days or weeks of a pregnancy without having access to an ultrasound? I am also aware that ultrasound scans are not available to every GP in rural areas. We are lucky to have such a facility in Kenmare but that does not mean it is available to all the GPs in the town at the same time. Will the Minister provide funding for ultrasound equipment for every GP? If so, will GPs be able to operate this equipment? This is an important issue. A woman or girl is entitled to see the ultrasound of her baby. Failure to support this amendment would mean we are not supporting a woman's entitlement to see an ultrasound of her baby if she wished to do so. It is clear that we should support the amendment. I ask Deputies to support the amendment and the important reason for tabling it.

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