Results 25,581-25,600 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It means the policy will be looked at by the independent chair in so far as it is relevant to the operation of the Act.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It would be deemed to be inside the scope of the review if it is causing operational difficulties. However, we need to be very clear that this is not a review of the policy. The policy is agreed. It is a review of the operation of the policy. If the operation of the policy uncovers issues that require recommendations on the policy, that is in scope. However, we are not reopening the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It is a question of full services versus partial services. I might ask Ms Luddy to give a detailed response on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, most definitely. I am open to correction by the lawyers but my understanding is the same as the Deputy's. We discussed this at great length during the passage of the Bill. My recollection is that it was absolutely clear that, of course, individuals may object but no institution may.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I would need to look at the exact contents of its statement. I have met representatives of groups who are asking that the policy, itself, be reviewed as part of this. One of the ones they use is exactly this. It has come up several times. Several groups want the Act to be more liberal. For example, they want the three-day waiting period taken away as a matter of policy regardless of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Absolutely. It is the entire operation of the Act. I will give one quick example on exactly this point. During the Covid pandemic, an operational decision was taken that the consultation between a woman and her GP could be remote, whereas when we were passing this Act it was very much part of the discussion that they should meet up. I think we spent a lot of time discussing what was meant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. When I have finished, I will ask Ms Luddy to come in on exactly the e-tendering process that will be used. In preparing for the review, I consulted with a wide group of people, including Oireachtas Members, service providers and civil society. What came back strongly across the board was an ask for an independent chair. Often the advice I have is that if the operation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It will go up today but, from what I have seen, I do not foresee any issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Exactly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Typically, the Department comes to me with a shortlist of recommendations from which I will choose.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. I share her frustration about this morning. I do not believe this is how it should have worked. The committee should have had the terms of reference last night and the intention was that all the relevant information would be on the Department's website before this meeting. I accept the committee's frustration on that point. The terms of reference were informed by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: On the Deputy's first question, namely, will the views of service users also be taken on board in terms of potential changes to policy and of the operation of and potential amendments to the legislation, yes, they will. That applies to service providers, the public consultation process and service users. My view is that the most important group of people in this process are the service...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I would go further and state that I think the single most important group we are going to listen to are the women themselves.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: That is a good question. I can certainly take a look at that. I can give the Deputy an absolute undertaking that the entire point of this review is to listen to the women themselves, the service providers and the public with a view to seeing what changes may be required.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It is about the operation. Obviously, recommendations of changes to policy can be put forward but the starting position is a review of the operation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for her questions. In terms of the timeline, to be clear, the requirement in the Act is that the review is commenced within three years. It is not required to be concluded within three years; it is required to be commenced in that timeframe. As to whether it will be April before a chairperson is appointed, it will not. A chairperson will be appointed early in the new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. As regards the e-tender criteria, I will ask the Department to circulate those criteria. I fully share the frustration in this regard. There is nothing I would like more than to be able to just appoint the chairperson and get on with the work, so I share the frustration. However, I am advised that it is a legal requirement for public procurement and, as such, all our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I hear that. The legal advice I have suggests the legal interpretation is that we must have initiated an review. Nevertheless, I take the points of the committee in regard to the wording.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I am not trying to be unhelpful, but if I understand the question correctly, it is almost asking what the recommendation is going to be in this area the Deputy highlighted. Every operational aspect of the Act can be covered, so anything that is raised by the public, service users or service providers will be examined. The question of what is included and what needs to be done will,...