Dáil debates

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed)

 

6:05 pm

Photo of Declan BreathnachDeclan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I express my abhorrence of the vilification, disrespect, disparaging and name-calling during this debate in the House. When I came into the Chamber, I had freedom of conscience in how I voted on whether a referendum should be held. In that vote one third of those who voted, 32 out of 110, were not in favour of holding the referendum. When it was held, one third of the people voted in a different way and were in the minority. These figures suggest that at least one third of those involved the medical profession have a conscientious objection. If we base it on the numbers in the vote in the House and the referendum, we can expect a similar figure in the medical profession.

The Minister went some way towards clarifying certain points in his earlier intervention by providing confirmation and guarantees. However, I am keen to push him further on these points. He referred to the code of practice of practitioners. I imagine there are numerous codes of practice in other areas of the health profession. The Minister has gone some way in this regard already, but will he reassure me that conscientious objection will apply to all junior, trainee and student doctors as well as student nurses and pharmacists? This point has been alluded to already. I refer in particular to rostering, especially in acute settings. Some staff might be rostered on shifts. Will they be able to conscientiously object? Will provision be made for them as well?

On the issue of the call helpline, our experience with the 24-hour service provided in the health services in recent years has been good. People can contact this service anytime. I know it might be a little nitpicky on my part but I am seeking clarification from the Minister on whether the helpline will be completely separate from the call-out services currently available in the system.

We all have to respect that there may be people who have serious issues. We have serious people on both sides of the divide and I imagine it is no different in the medical profession. No one should be embarrassed in this situation. Many people, especially nurses and doctors, have written to me since the result of the referendum seeking to ensure that conscientious objection would be included. I am satisfied that it is, but I am unsure about circumstances in which people, for reasons of religion or otherwise, do not necessarily want to deal with this. It is important that the 24-7 call line would be almost a first port of call for a person who might feel embarrassed in the knowledge that her general practitioner is a very religious or concerned person who would not want the embarrassment of having to refuse. The helpline may not necessarily be a first port of call but it could be a special port of call if a woman was in doubt about her GP. I am seeking clarification on that point.

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