Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

At a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health on Wednesday, 19 September 2018, the doctor explicitly told Deputy Stephen Donnelly that the lack of MRI scanning services could lead to the termination of a child who may not have had a fatal condition. I reiterate that he said the lack of services "could lead" to the termination of a child who may not actually have had a fatal condition. His exact words in response to a question from Deputy Stephen Donnelly were as follows:

The MRI machine in the National Maternity Hospital, with some jiggling around, could possibly be a national centre for referral to clarify the diagnosis for women and pregnancies where there are foetal abnormalities. The consequences of getting it wrong are serious. We could end up with a termination done for a condition that is not fatal or vice versa.

As has been said by other commentators, this makes it absolutely clear that there were warnings that the roll-out of abortion services in this State to accord with a political rather than a clinical deadline was capable of ending the lives of unborn children deemed to have a fatal condition, but who did not actually have such a condition. The clamour and the rush was political not medical. This so-called service has placed additional and severe pressure on our maternity services at a time when the Master of the Rotunda says premature babies do not even have access to appropriate levels of care in our maternity units. It is fine to be crying wolf now. The warnings were given to any of the members on the health committee who chose to listen. We all felt that the man leading the campaign and giving the medical advice, and was saluted afterwards for doing so, gave us those warnings. It is on the record of the House. It is hypocrisy of the highest order for this motion to come before the House when we have had, unfortunately, a tragic death of a baby, and maybe many more.

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