Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Reference has been made to abortion regret and the Women Hurt group. It was offered a slot at the Citizens' Assembly but allowed an American pro-life group to take its place. The Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, of which I was a member and all meetings of which I attended, heard from an expert on abortion regret, Dr. Abigail Aiken. There is no point having a committee and cross-party agreement on expert witnesses only for Members then to come to the House and disregard the information we were given. Dr. Aiken was asked some questions by Deputy Durkan. A slide on abortion regret, a term that had emerged, was on display. I asked if there was a correlation between the feelings one may have after a termination of pregnancy and those one may have after a miscarriage and for a comparative analysis in that regard. The expert doctor stated, "On abortion regret, the data in front of the Deputy is really the best data we have," and clarified how many women were consulted. She continued:

I think there are as many feelings after abortions as there are abortions because it is an individual and personal thing. However, looking at this graph, [which is available in the information presented by the committee] I do not see much evidence for an abortion regret. I know it is a term that is out there but it does not really exist in the medical literature. I have to emphasise that we really lack empirical evidence - real evidence.

That is real evidence, not anecdotes or fairy tales. She made it very clear that there is no empirical evidence for abortion regret. Deputy Mattie McGrath referred to published research which backs up what the women to whom he referred state about abortion regret. I would like to see that research. I am sure Dr. Aiken would also be keen to see it as it would change her position on the issue. If Members intend to rely on published data, let such data be put before the House.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae referred to women being put away, and the issue of a perinatal hospice was raised. Like some of the amendments that have been proposed, that initially appears to be a great idea. I have three children. If I had a crisis pregnancy now, was six months pregnant and had an anencephalic baby, who would mind my three children? Where would I be incarcerated? Are we going to open a laundry for these women? Who would stay at home with my husband and three children? These are being put forth as good ideas but in practice they hark back to the 1950s, as Deputy Coppinger remarked.

On abortion regret, women may encounter complicated psychological issues during or after pregnancy or at any other stage in their lives. However, it is wrong to purport that it is a clinical condition and to create such ructions about it in the House. Those claiming that they have been vilified are the only ones using such terminology.

On the word count of 45,000 versus 50,000 as referred to by Deputy Tóibín, my understanding is that 66.4% of the people voted yes. The result of the referendum was not a confidence and supply arrangement. We live in a democracy.

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