Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On socioeconomic issues and having no restriction as to reason, the committee rejected the idea that terminations under socioeconomic grounds should be lawful beyond 12 weeks. We had to take account of the need to provide reproductive health care for women in Ireland and, in particular, those who have a crisis pregnancy and where they feel that a termination is the only solution. In particular, we were mindful of the 3,500 women who travel abroad annually to have a termination in a clinic or hospital, mainly in the UK; the increasing number of women who are procuring abortion pills via the Internet, about which many Members have already spoken; and the plight of women facing a crisis pregnancy who could not afford to travel or who could not travel because of their immigration status.

In 1983, when the eighth amendment was put in place, it was inconceivable to have a medical termination which could be carried out mainly through a GP-led service. The vast majority of terminations in developed societies take place in the first ten to 12 weeks of pregnancy. The fact that we do not have that service available here to Irish women means that they face either travelling abroad for late-term terminations or that they risk their health by taking abortion pills at home without supervision.

The fourth point is, in my view and as Senator Kelleher has said, the most important part of our report. It is on the ancillary services which arose from the recommendations. The main focus of our deliberations in this area were decriminalisation, better availability of contraception, an overhaul of sex education and better counselling and obstetric care. We recommended decriminalisation because of the chill factor which can inhibit clinical judgment when dealing with very sick pregnant women, the chill factor which could prevent a woman from seeking medical help after procuring an abortion pill illegally online, and the findings of the UN in the Mellet case which found that her suffering was aggravated by the shame and stigma associated with criminalisation.

We recommended that one way of reducing the incidence of crisis pregnancy was to ensure that we have comprehensive availability of contraception. This seems to be a complete no-brainer and I was extremely pleased that the Department of Health's response to this element of our report was so positive. This does not get the attention of the media because it is not about 12 weeks or anything but it is so important. It emerged in evidence that there was a cost-factor involved, especially for long-acting reversible contraceptive methods, which meant that some women were using less effective methods, especially those who are just over the income limits that would allow them to qualify for a medical card. We recommended that a range of contraception should be made available free of charge to people who need it. I am letting the Minister know that this is not going to go away.