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

The Minister has quite usefully read the pharmacists' guidelines from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. Like Deputy Brassil, I am a registered pharmacist. I would like to explain the normal procedures for GPs getting medication into their surgeries. It is normally done by means of stock-order dispensing from a pharmacy of the GP's choice. This should not arise, in the sense that the arrangement will be there.

If for some reason a doctor who wants to conscientiously provide for a termination of pregnancy encounters a dispensing chemist who will not do it, there are plenty of others to go to. Therefore, I do not see it arising.

With reference to the hospital pharmacist's role, in practice misoprostol has been used for years in the dilation and curettage process after miscarriage. I understand a licensed drug has come on the market in the past week.

On supply issues, if a company has sought a licence for a drug, it is more than likely that in the interests of the bottom line it will have it on the market. Therefore, I do not see it as a concern. As the Minister said, it is about access to termination of pregnancy, not the denial of a service. It is about enabling doctors to act in the best interests of their patients, while also protecting themselves in the process.

There was some commentary about the Minister not meeting stakeholders. The stakeholders are the women of Ireland, all 52% of us, and the men in our lives. The Minister engaged and showed great leadership on that front. I do not believe the comments about his reputation. It has never been to the fore. If it was the case, it would have been easier for him not to have done this.

Comments were made about the service being GP-led. It came directly from the committee, nowhere else. I speak as one member of the committee. It was done in order that there would be no targeting of abortion clinics, as happens in other jurisdictions. Instead of copying the methods of other jurisdictions, we set out to have an Irish method - a bespoke method - that would be suitable for the year and which would apply the learning from processes in other countries. There is nothing rushed about it. Deputy Fitzgerald who is sitting beside me has reminded me that it has been 35 years. I doubt that she sees it as being rushed. I clarify and confirm what the Minister said. This is a change to the law on termination of pregnancy. There is no change to the law on conscientious objection. Many of the emails which many of us have received, some of which appeared to be very reasonable, are designed to obstruct because there is no need for the amendment.

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