Results 2,981-3,000 of 3,336 for speaker:Kate O'Connell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Obstetric Medicine in the Netherlands: Professor Sjef Gevers and Professor Eva Pajkrt, University of Amsterdam (23 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank both witnesses for coming over here to attempt to educate us here in Ireland. Following Deputy Naughton's question, I was interested in how the Netherlands demystified human reproduction and conversations around sex. Have they any suggestions on how we might try to do that in this country? I am not sure how familiar they are with our legacy of incarcerating females in this country...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Obstetric Medicine in the Netherlands: Professor Sjef Gevers and Professor Eva Pajkrt, University of Amsterdam (23 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I may have picked the point up wrong in the presentation but how did the witnesses decide not to distinguish between first and second trimester?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Obstetric Medicine in the Netherlands: Professor Sjef Gevers and Professor Eva Pajkrt, University of Amsterdam (23 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I picked that up wrong. I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Obstetric Medicine in the Netherlands: Professor Sjef Gevers and Professor Eva Pajkrt, University of Amsterdam (23 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Professor Gevers said the law deters doctors, and used the phrase "broadly accepted practice". What happens if it is a broadly accepted practice and somehow a very conservative government comes to power? How would that affect the practice if doctors behave in a way that is broadly accepted but is against the law? Professor Gevers probably has not thought about that and I probably should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: International Context: Dr. Patricia Lohr, British Pregnancy Advisory Service (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I apologise that I had to leave the room for something. If I repeat something that was asked already, ignore me. I can look back at the record. Deputy Durkan touched on the rate of termination in the UK. I was sourcing some documents about the rate in the Netherlands which used to be the lowest but which has risen slightly in recent years. Dr. Lohr quoted a figure of 16 per 1,000 and I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: International Context: Dr. Patricia Lohr, British Pregnancy Advisory Service (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Is the decision made by one doctor in that case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: International Context: Dr. Patricia Lohr, British Pregnancy Advisory Service (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: In the case of a combination of serious birth defects, would the decision be made by one doctor or two doctors?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: International Context: Dr. Patricia Lohr, British Pregnancy Advisory Service (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: What recourse does the patient have? There is a purpose to my questions. I am trying to tease out where we are going as a committee, rather than being difficult. Where one doctor takes the view that a combination of conditions will be fatal and a second doctor disagrees with that, what happens? In other words, what happens when there is a difference in medical opinion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank Ms McDermott very much for coming here today. I know how hard it is for her to tell her own story. I completely understand that it is only now - after 2002 - she is able to come here to do so. I am sure that at times it is very difficult. How is John now? I believe that no one has asked this of Ms McDermott today. In the last session Ms McDermott gave us the poem from the sixth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: He is 14. Is Ms McDermott caring for him at home?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I just thought it might be important that we acknowledge that John exists.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I would also like to point to the issues that Ms McDermott dealt with at the time of his birth and some of the lessons that can be learned from that. There are aspects that have been brought up at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health in respect of the national maternity strategy and the ten-year Sláintecare report about the provision of maternity services in Ireland. The witness...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I also take on board some of Ms McDermott's points about anomaly scanning and getting that letter to book. I remember getting my own letter for the anomaly scan and genuinely not really knowing what that meant. When I had a not great experience at that scan, I learned very quickly what it meant. My experience is at odds with Ms McDermott's experience. When I had a diagnosis for my first...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Yes. It was a significant day and I will never forget it. I remember asking the consultant a very straight and direct question. I am prone to asking direct questions. When I asked if this was grounds for a termination - I had not discussed this with my husband who was sitting beside me - she said "No" but when I asked if I could have an amniocentesis so I might know what I was dealing with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Ms McDermott also said that she has no evidence that anybody has referred these people for counselling. To my mind, that is in breach of the law of this land. If there is repeated pressure being put on people, I have a problem with that. We heard at length from psychiatrists of how women can be vulnerable owing to hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy. What Ms McDermott stated is to my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I believe in choice. I understand where Ms McDermott is coming from in that she made her choice and continued with her pregnancy and now has her son, John, who brings her great joy. I continued on my journey. Does Ms McDermott believe we should be compassionate to the people who might not be in as fortunate a situation as she and I were? Where a woman of 52 years of age finds herself...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I understand. Does Ms McDermott believe there is any ground for abortion in this country? A "Yes" or "No" answer will suffice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Does Ms McDermott believe the enactment of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 was a good idea given she does not agree with abortion, ever?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I would like to comment on a couple of points made. I am definitely not over Senator Mullen timewise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: One Day More (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Reference was made earlier to nervous system development. It is stated in a medical research paper that I read - this information was also provided to the committee by experts in this area - that there is no nervous system development until 24 weeks and, arguably, 30 weeks. I just wanted to clarify that point.