Results 981-1,000 of 2,569 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (24 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: 272. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44974/17]

Finance Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Government has listened to the people, continued its commitments and invested in areas that most need investment. We want to improve the lives of older people, share the benefits of the return to economic growth by improving the lives of those in their later years. We want to keep people living in independently in their homes. We are increasing funding for home adaptation grants, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome Professor O'Keane to the committee. I have listened to what she has said. It is important to say at the outset that when it comes to any change to the eighth amendment, the burden of proof is squarely on those who want to see it changed and to show that change would be a good thing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: In order for the pro-choice people to make their case, they need to prove that having an abortion would be a dramatic improvement for the woman. We already know that it would be a bad thing for the baby, because the baby's life would end. There is clearly a huge amount of evidence around the world which shows that there is no real benefit to a woman's mental health from abortion, but there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Dr. David Fergusson has written a book on the topic. Has the witness read his book?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I have only quoted Dr. Fergusson.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I would appreciate if the witness could read Dr. David Fergusson's book and give us her opinion on it. There are 100,000 people alive in Ireland today because of the eighth amendment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Can I finish please?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: There are more than 100,000 people alive in Ireland today because of the eighth amendment. In the UK there are 190,000 abortions every year. Some 98% of those abortions take place on mental health grounds. Has the witness come across Ms Ann Furedi, who is the director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: She is the CEO of one of the leading providers of abortion in the UK. She said, "It is not the case that the majority of women seeking abortions are necessarily at risk of damaging their mental health by continuing the pregnancy". This is significant in terms of the law. Women and men in the UK have indicated that this is the law. Will the witness discuss those comments and the current...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The statistics are there. That is the amount of people who have been saved since 1983.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The restrictions in place under the eighth amendment mean that there are roughly 100,000 people alive today. In the UK there are 190,000 abortions every year. That is one in every five children. The director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in the UK said that 98% of abortions in the UK are down to mental issues. This lady then said that is not the case. We have good, strict...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The witness has been making speeches all evening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Risks to Mental Health of Pregnant Women: Professor Veronica O'Keane (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The protection of the eighth amendment has saved the lives of many people in Ireland. The last thing I want to happen is for Ireland to become the UK. I do not want every fifth child to be aborted. We have very safe rules and regulations in this country and I would love to see them protected. There is an onus on the Government to invest far more money in mental health. It has given many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination Arising From Rape: Mr. Tom O'Malley, NUI Galway; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; and Dr. Maeve Eogan, Rotunda Hospital (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the witnesses. I will address my questions to Ms Noeline Blackwell. I do not think there is any doubt in this room about the seriousness of rape, the trauma that it has on women, and it is vital that services are improved and that they see proper justice. How does Ms Blackwell feel about people who are conceived in rape? I am thinking of Pam Stenzel and Ryan Bomberger. Ryan's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination Arising From Rape: Mr. Tom O'Malley, NUI Galway; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; and Dr. Maeve Eogan, Rotunda Hospital (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: My question is, from Ms Blackwell's experience, how does she feel about a person who is conceived in rape? I am only asking a question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination Arising From Rape: Mr. Tom O'Malley, NUI Galway; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; and Dr. Maeve Eogan, Rotunda Hospital (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I am asking Ms Blackwell a question because she is a senior person in the Rape Crisis Centre. There are people listening to these proceedings who would like to hear this from a professional such as herself. If the two people I mentioned were in the room, how would Ms Blackwell think they would feel? Their biological mothers accepted them and they were born and had good lives. Can Ms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination Arising From Rape: Mr. Tom O'Malley, NUI Galway; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; and Dr. Maeve Eogan, Rotunda Hospital (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: My problem is that I am limited in the kinds of questions I can ask. I have a question and I cannot get an answer. The Rape Crisis Centre sees many people come in, but women come into the centre who have been raped. They are probably asking for advice. It is very important. As a person involved in the Rape Crisis Centre, they will listen to Ms Blackwell and they will ask her questions....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination Arising From Rape: Mr. Tom O'Malley, NUI Galway; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; and Dr. Maeve Eogan, Rotunda Hospital (25 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: What I am trying to get through to here is that there are many others like Ryan and Pam. I want to see if Ms Blackwell comes across anyone in that field. I spoke earlier about an abortion. The child, to me, has no say whatever if it is aborted. That means the mother is fine. What kind of reception do people get when they present themselves who have been conceived as a result of rape? I...