Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The health committee heard today of the shortcomings in abortion provision in Ireland. One woman in the west had to contact seven GPs before being able to access a termination. Another migrant woman, who is a victim of sexual assault, had to attend the same GP three times but was unable to receive care. These obstacles compound the trauma of a crisis pregnancy for far too many. I commend Marie O’Shea, who chaired the independent review of our abortion law, and ask the Minister if the Government will agree to take up her recommendations and the calls made in submissions to the consultation on the legislation, including in the Labour Party submission? Will the Government take those up and act now, to deal with logistical shortfalls and problems with, for example, only 11 out of 19 maternity hospitals offering the service and the lack of availability of GPs providing abortion services across many counties? Will it also move to make the legislative changes necessary, in particular to remove the paternalistic mandatory three-day waiting period?

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