Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I found yesterday's briefing with the doctors very helpful in understanding how this test in section 9(1) will work in practice in terms of the clinical decision making about the appropriateness of carrying out a termination "in order to avert the risk". That is the wording in section 9(1)(c).

It is a matter of reading the words all together in their context. Like Senator Higgins, I would like the Minister to clarify, as we heard yesterday at the briefing, the nature of that clinical decision-making test. It is important that we do not just take one word in the test out of context and that we consider how the test will operate in clinical practice and how it will be operated by doctors. It was very useful to hear the practical illustrations given to us by doctors yesterday to explain how this would work in practice, and how it will work to enable women to access abortion in the sort of life-saving or serious harm-averting circumstances envisaged in section 9.