Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this important issue. As part of the first phase of the review, information and evidence on the operation of the Act will be collected from women who used the services and from health professionals who provide them. The views of the public will also be sought. There will be three elements to the first phase of the review, including public consultation, and a detailed examination of the views and experiences of service users, women and their partners. Research to inform the service users strand is being carried out by Dr. Catherine Conlon, who is progressing a large qualitative study to investigate unplanned pregnancy and abortion care. This study was commissioned by the HSE's sexual health and crisis pregnancy programme and will generate an in-depth understanding of the experiences of women who have accessed abortion care services since the commencement of the Act. A request for tenders to carry out research into the views of service providers has been published on e-tenders. The objective of this strand of the review is to ascertain the experiences of service providers in delivering the services for termination of pregnancy in the community and hospital sector. The second phase of the review will be led by an independent chair. I will ask the Minister for Health to engage with the Deputy on the issue and I will talk to him about the points she has raised.

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