Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators for inviting me to address the House. I am happy to have the opportunity to start this debate on the issue of crisis pregnancy. I would also like to mention the fact that the pupils in the Visitors Gallery are from St. Brigid's boys national school, which is in my constituency. I hope I am in order in doing so.

Rory Kiely (Fianna Fail)
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Strictly speaking, it is not in order.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a tremendous school. I would like to extend a warm welcome to them. I hope they enjoy their day here.

Rory Kiely (Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State should move on.

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy that there is general agreement in society that we should make every effort to tackle the problem of crisis pregnancy. This view is shared by all persons, regardless of their views on the substantive issue of abortion. Over 6,000 women from this country have abortions abroad every year. In fact, a figure of approximately 10,000 is often quoted in this regard.

The All-Party Committee on the Constitution published a report on the issue of abortion in November 2000. The report stated that various Departments, State bodies and voluntary organisations have responsibilities for the issues which impact on this problem. The committee decided that a single planning focus was required to address the complexity of the programmes needed and to provide the cohesion necessary for their success. The establishment of an agency to be responsible for drawing up a strategy to combat crisis pregnancies was proposed to this end. The agency was to be responsible for promoting options other than abortion when a crisis pregnancy occurs and for providing for post-crisis pregnancy services. Having considered the committee's recommendation, the Government announced in October 2001, with all-party agreement, that the Crisis Pregnancy Agency was to be established. The Government's intention in establishing the agency was to ensure that women who encounter crisis situations will have available to them the widest possible range of assistance to help them to cope.

I am pleased that, since its establishment, the Crisis Pregnancy Agency has given new impetus to and has begun to play a major role in the development of co-ordinated, responsive and appropriate services for crisis pregnancy. The major "Positive Options" information campaign, which was developed by the agency in 2002, has been promoting support services in crisis pregnancy. The focus of the campaign is on helping women to be more aware of their options if they have a crisis pregnancy and on improving the supports and assistance available to them in such circumstances. Initiatives undertaken as part of the campaign have included a text message service, an information leaflet, posters, a web page and, in recent weeks, television advertisements. A tremendous 2,760 text messages were received on the first night that the television advertisement was screened. The campaign has received over 40,000 text requests for information as a result of hearing or seeing the "Positive Options" television advertisement or reading the available material. I understand that women may experience an overwhelming sense of isolation and confusion in crisis pregnancy situations. I am confident, however, that the information campaign has provided and will continue to provide invaluable support to many such women.

A strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy was launched in November 2003. The comprehensive and ambitious strategy document encompasses all aspects of crisis pregnancy, from prevention to post-crisis pregnancy support. It provides a blueprint to guide policy makers and service providers in the delivery of co-ordinated programmes to prevent crisis pregnancy and to provide a comprehensive and caring response to the needs of women with crisis pregnancies. Some of the actions can be taken in the short to medium term but others, such as influencing cultural change, will require longer and more sustained approaches. The objectives of the strategy will be underpinned by a programme of research and policy advice. The agency has invested €900,000 in a comprehensive research programme which will deepen our understanding of the issues surrounding crisis pregnancy and enable the agency to target its actions accurately.

The strategy also deals with crisis pregnancy prevention. It emphasises that the number of crisis pregnancies, and hence abortions, could be reduced by the constant and correct use of effective methods of contraception. In conjunction with health promotion initiatives surrounding the use of contraception, the agency has called for measures to ensure that emergency contraception is more widely available on a national basis. Protocols for the prescription of contraception will be developed with the ICGP and the role and use of emergency contraception will be the subject of a promotion campaign. Other prevention initiatives include a programme of relationships and sexuality education for adolescent boys and girls and young men and women and a programme of skills-building for teachers, health care workers and parents, so that people can be supported and educated by the professionals they come into contact with regularly.

The agency's remit also relates to supports during crisis pregnancy. The agency found that a decision to have an abortion can be made very quickly, which is quite sad. It reasoned that by slowing the decision-making process, women have more time to make informed choices. They need to be sure that they will receive professional and quality counselling, regardless of the option they are considering. Accordingly, while the agency acknowledges the sterling work done in this area by the main crisis pregnancy agencies, it has addressed the issue of quality assurance in respect of pregnancy counselling agencies. The strategy provides for the development of a training module for crisis pregnancy counsellors, so that in the shortest time possible all such counsellors will receive additional training to standardise the delivery of counselling. I particularly welcome this initiative.

The needs of a woman who has had an abortion have been considered. Research suggests that while no woman chooses abortion lightly, the conviction of some women that it is the right choice for them is very strong. They may choose abortion because they not want to have children at this time, or perhaps ever, or because they feel their circumstances are not conducive to parenting. Such a decision may be based on their relationship experiences, living arrangements, levels of support, goals and aspirations, financial and emotional states or many other variables. The agency has commissioned research to investigate these influences and how supports and services can be developed. The main objectives in this area are setting standards for post-abortion medical check-ups and counselling, as well as ensuring that services are available and accessible. Even in countries where abortion is freely available, however, only about 12% of women seek a post-abortion check-up.

The strategy recognises that not everyone will need post-crisis pregnancy services. It aims to ensure that quality services are available and accessible when required by those who recognise that they might need help. This involves, for example, the provision of further training for health professionals and consultations with agencies in the United Kingdom.

In the most ambitious section of the strategy, it is reasoned that cultural change is an important aspect in reducing the number of crisis pregnancies. The agency has envisioned a society in which crisis pregnancy is not glamorised or sensationalised; women are supported rather than being judged or having their actions condoned; responsibility for one's actions is promoted; and negative, damaging or misleading messages about sexual health and crisis pregnancy are challenged. It is clear that we can only reduce the number of crisis pregnancies by facing the reality of sexual health in Ireland and reacting in a mature and reflective manner. Although realistically the agency cannot hope to achieve a major cultural shift in society, I hope it will be able to plant the seeds for this change.

I look forward to the statements and comments of Members and I assure them that their views will be fully evaluated by my Department.

Earlier I welcomed the contingent of visitors from St. Brigid's boys national school; I am delighted to welcome the remainder of that contingent.

Rory Kiely (Fianna Fail)
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That is not in order.

Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, to the House. This is the 20th anniversary of the death of Anne Lovett, the 15 year old schoolgirl who died of severe haemorrhaging and exposure after giving birth alone and outdoors. This child was so frightened about her circumstances that she managed, in a small town, to hide her pregnancy from her family and friends, none of whom knew her condition until it was too late. Thankfully, Ireland has come a long way since then and there are now more supports for people like Anne Lovett. For some, however, the supports available are still not enough. The mother of the baby girl who was abandoned last year has still not come forward to claim her. Cases such as this highlight the need for better sex education and public information campaigns to ensure people are aware of organisations such as the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and know they are not alone in their crises. Some mothers do not receive enough support when they have a child. This is certainly a factor in the decisions of more than 6,000 women every year who travel abroad to have abortions.

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has run a number of advertising campaigns which, I am glad to report, appear to have been successful. I wish the agency every success in future campaigns. This is a positive step and is welcome. I also welcome many of the strategy's recommendations to reduce the number of pregnancies, particularly the recommendation of working in partnership with the Department of Education and Science to strengthen the delivery of relationship and sexuality education. I was disappointed to hear that only half the schools in the State are fully implementing the Department's sex education programme. Although the RSE programme is mandatory, some parents are keeping their children at home on days on which it is taught. Education can be a major factor in the reduction not only of crisis pregnancies but also of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. It is vital that we get this message to parents, teachers and, most importantly, children.

Last year The Irish Times published a survey the results of which showed the shocking attitude of many young people towards sex. I will not go into the figures, but the findings shocked many of us. We must face up to the reality that Ireland has changed and we must change with it as legislators. We must also ensure that those who are engaging in sexual activity are aware of matters such as safe sex. The survey proved the need for sex education programmes in schools. There must be improvements in this area. In The Netherlands there has been a coherent sexual health policy since the 1970s and there has been a reduction in the number of teenage pregnancies and abortions there.

I also agree with the strategy's recommendation that contraceptive services be more widely and easily accessible, as this will reduce the number of crisis pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, where the Government offers these services I hope it will back them up with funding. Last year the Irish Family Planning Association was forced to suspend its services to women with medical cards for a number of months due to a lack of funding from the health boards. A total of 56% of those attending its clinics were in the 18 to 25 age group, which is the group most at risk of crisis pregnancy. This cannot be allowed to happen again.

There is a need for more support services for women with children, as this could ease the pressure on women who find themselves pregnant. There is a dearth of affordable child care in Ireland. CSO figures for the last quarter of 2002 reveal the crippling cost of child care for many families and, more importantly, lone parents. The average cost ranged from €79.42 per week in the Border region to a staggering €118.96 in Dublin. For families and lone parents with pre-school children only, the average cost was €105.36 per week outside Dublin and €131 in Dublin. The figures also show that the number of lone parents availing of child care facilities is well below the average for two-parent families. The Government is not doing enough in the area of affordable child care. If any efforts are being made in this area, they are not obvious.

The strategy makes a number of sound recommendations for addressing the issue of crisis pregnancies, which I welcome. It considers education, access to contraceptive services and the need for supports for women who find themselves in crisis pregnancy and for women who choose to go ahead with their pregnancies. I am particularly supportive of the research the agency intends to carry out in the area of crisis pregnancies and I look forward to reading the findings and further recommendations. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency must compete with many others for public funding. I call on the Minister to ensure this strategy does not sit on the shelf and to commit to providing annual funding for the agency, whose work and services are so vital to the strategy's success.

Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. We appreciate the time he spends with us. I am pleased to have the opportunity of debating the excellent report we received towards the end of last year from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

The agency was set up two years ago and was born out of the decades of debate surrounding crisis pregnancy. The purpose of the agency is to underpin and develop the work of existing voluntary groups and establish a process of information, education, research and advice. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is viewed as a support for the voluntary agencies but it does not duplicate their work, which is evident from the report. I also note from the report that it is a policy-maker, educator, researcher and an opinion-former. It will establish facts and put them into the public domain in a manner that is non-judgmental, kind, considerate and sensitive. The mandate of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency is to reduce the number of women choosing abortion.

On reading the report, I was impressed by the methodology of the agency in bringing together three Departments. As politicians, we know how difficult it is to bring together the strands of one Department. To bring three Departments together is a huge advantage and the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, and Social and Family Affairs appear to be working well together. I support other Senators who call for the ongoing funding of the agency because it is doing great work. Funding to date has been up to €5.9 million, from which the agency funds six voluntary agencies of which Cura and the Well Woman Centre are two. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency carries out a strong monitoring role with a staff of 14. Ms Olive Braiden, as chairperson, is familiar to everybody through her work with the Rape Crisis Centre. The director, Ms Sharon Foley, is a former member of the Department of Health and Children and a formidable woman in her own right.

The agency is engaged in several areas, as has been pointed out by Senator Feighan and the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Callely. In research, the agency assesses where the gaps are in services for women. It has taken on the job of mapping the country, county by county, to see what areas are missing out on services. When those areas are identified, they are immediately resourced and worked upon. The area of counselling has improved twofold in that there are now very few waiting lists. It is now 50% easier to get an appointment for counselling than it was before the agency was set up. Other Senators referred to the advertising campaign, Positive Options, and the website listing the six agencies and the services provided. I was impressed by how the six agencies came together and did not compete for different slots in the limelight, evidence of how well this is working. They came together for the common good, producing an impressive leaflet under the umbrella of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. There was reference to the texting service - "INFO 5444" - and the number of hits it has received. This is chic and "in". As the mother of two young teenage daughters, I scream when I am at home as they continually text. Ireland has become the texting nation of the world and it is apt to provide a service young people in difficulty can easily tap into. It is private and allows them to access information wherever they are. They are given a menu and the information they need. The advertising programme is ongoing and developing all the time. This spells out to us that there is a need to assess the funding and keep it at a level as much as we can.

As a mother of four, I consider pregnancy to be the most wonderful experience in the world. It is wonderful when it is planned. However, when it is not, it is a nightmare and a terrible tragedy for most women who see no light at the end of the tunnel and wonder what will happen to them. The Minister of State rightly pointed out that abortion seems the most likely choice for those women, whether they are young teenage mothers or 30 year old career women. It is wonderful that voluntary agencies and the directly-funded Crisis Pregnancy Agency can give comfort and solace to those women. Crisis pregnancies do not just happen to single women but also to married women in good and healthy marriages. They do not come about simply because a woman wants to hold down her job. If a woman is given the devastating news that the foetus she is carrying is so badly deformed that it is not compatible with life outside uterus, it can be a terrible devastation.

Senators spoke about the importance of education and it would be remiss of us not to mention the terrible tragedy of Anne Lovett in Granard 20 years ago. If only there was more sex education in our schools, how different our world would be. The report contains a survey from 1998 to 2000 that found the percentage of sexually active women using contraception rose from 26.3% to a whacking 42.9%. Sadly, in the same period the same survey found that contraceptive use for sexually active males dropped from 35.6% to 26.3%. There is a pressing need to educate young males in their attitudes to contraception.

The agency is doing a wonderful job and we must support its efforts. We must talk openly with it on the need for our society to change culturally. It is the first time that we have an agency like it and one into which everybody has bought. As a mother of four young children, I know I am scared of crisis pregnancy. Crisis pregnancies know no socio-economic boundaries and no barriers. It can happen to any woman. It is not just a woman's issue but also a community and male one. We all need to wake up to the need for cultural change. Let us get rid of the stigma of crisis pregnancy and become a more caring and welcoming society.

Mary Henry (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Callely. Crisis pregnancies have been with us since the dawn of time. It is splendid that we are addressing this issue in the House as ten years ago it would not have been addressed. When I was a young doctor in the Rotunda Hospital, there was no such thing as a crisis pregnancy. We chose to ignore the issue for as long as we could, which has caused incredible distress to people. I warmly commend all those who brought forward this very useful strategy document.

I have had considerable experience of dealing with people with crisis pregnancies because I am the president of Cherish, which was a single mothers' organisation but is now a single parents' organisation. Some 30 years ago I felt brave merely trying to give support to this organisation, which is incredible because now if any right thinking person did not give it support, he or she would be considered quite dreadful. That reflects a major and welcome change in our society.

We are particularly considering this matter from the point of view of abortions and how to ensure the number of women who go England for abortions is reduced. We never had a problem with illegal abortion but we had one with infanticide, which should be remembered. All too sadly, incidents of infanticide have occurred in the recent past in cases of concealed pregnancies in particular. I am delighted the strategy document suggests we must address the situation regarding concealed pregnancies because it is also important in this context.

Abortion can never be considered a suitable method of family planning, as was said at the Cairo conference which I attended, but we must recognise that it happens. I was interested to read in the report that women who went to England had a deep conviction that it was best thing for them to do and that they made the decision quickly. One of the problems is that many women go to England without consulting anyone here. A friend of mine who worked for the Irish Family Planning Association and is sadly now dead, Dr. Anne Legge, used to tell girls who came to her looking for information in this area to go home and think about it as they would be very little more pregnant the following day. I thought it was great advice in that at least people would give themselves time and space before they made such an extremely important decision.

The Positive Options campaign appears to be very good. The cards and leaflets given out with telephone numbers on the back should encourage people, if not to contact their general practitioners who, in the main, are sympathetic in these circumstances, to contact some of the agencies such as Cherish, CURA and Life to get advice to avoid making a rushed decision. I commend, as I am sure do other Members, the way the report has been brought forward.

The report points out that a crisis pregnancy can occur in a stable marriage. A teenager may not consider pregnancy a crisis or too untoward an event in her life. We have an enormous amount to do in the field of education with teenagers. Senator O'Toole will not forgive me for mentioning teachers again, but the relationships and sex programmes in the schools must be promoted more. The popular culture regarding sexual activity which teenagers observe is not productive towards a healthy sexual lifestyle. If they were to carry on in the way suggested in some popular television programmes, the risk of catching sexually transmitted diseases would be incredibly high. Sadly, we must recognise that this area should be addressed as well as the fact that a person might become pregnant because clinics report an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. It is sad to think of girls getting chlamydia, which does not have many symptoms, and subsequently becoming infertile as a result of such infection.

We are not making sufficient facilities available for teenagers to get support on the decisions they make regarding sexuality. If they decide on sexual activity, it would be a good idea if they were in a position to go to clinics such as the Irish Family Planning Association. I was depressed to receive a letter last autumn from the Minister of State's area indicating that the Northern Area Health Board, which subsidises medical card services at the IFPA can no longer afford to do so, and that it is understood it would not be in position to do so for the remainder of 2003. However, these young people are unfortunately the people we need to be in a position to support. Perhaps the Minister of State could ask health boards to ensure this type of situation does not arise. How can we introduce preventative measures if we do not ensure that those who are the most needy and may have the most socio-economic problems regarding a pregnancy can get advice?

As Senator Feeney said, the increase in the use of contraception by women was welcome, but the decrease in its use by men is terribly worrying, particularly regarding sexually transmitted diseases. Something must be done regarding the education of boys. I spoke to a teacher who depressingly told me that when he was giving sex education classes, he sent the boys out to play football. That is not what was intended by the Department of Education and Science when it brought forward those programmes. Officials in the Department should read the booklets issued by the Department of Education in Uganda, the African country that has had the highest rate of decrease in the incidence of HIV infection. Its booklets are explicit and encourage teenagers to delay what is described as their sexual debut until they are further on in their education. They ask why would one get involved in sex in P5 rather than wait until P7. That may sound simplistic but apparently it is working and the children who are in the education system there are doing much better.

The report points out how frequently socio-economic factors feature in a decision by a young woman to have an abortion. While single motherhood is recognised here now, not all families accept it. The claim they do is a myth. Therefore, a young woman may get little support from her family or the father of the child. That is the reason I and others expressed our concern about the removal of the rent subsidy in the private sector. As the Minister of State is aware, a tenant must be in private rented accommodation for six months before a rent supplement is given. That is not possible in the case of a woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy as she did not plan it. Therefore, how could she be in such accommodation for six months to meet the requirement to avail of the recent supplement? I understand the view of the Department of Social and Family Affairs in this regard because this is an expensive way of dealing with this issue. The crèche allowance was not introduced for single mothers, but again it was availed of by them and was useful. We need to do more regarding housing and other accommodation.

Cherish has recommended that the local authority waiting list should be used to determine the type of houses that need to be built and this practice should be standardised across local authority regions to ensure equality of access to appropriate housing types regardless of location. When the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, last spoke on housing in this Chamber, he did not give us good news about the type of local authority housing we could hope to see being made available fairly shortly. Cherish also recommends the reintroduction of legislative protection for tenants' rights in the private sector. It also recommends the introduction of incentives to provide equal access to affordable housing for low and single income families. It requests the provision of specialist accommodation for single pregnant women and women experiencing crisis pregnancies, who are at risk of homelessness due to pregnancy, in conjunction with the support of a specialist agency. It recommends the provision of support services, in collaboration with specialist agencies and services working with specifically vulnerable and socially excluded groups, to provide additional supports for those in transit from and at risk of homelessness. We must particularly address the needs of refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced persons in this regard. We had a brief discussion in the House about a girl who was 13 when she became pregnant and 14 when a health board brought her to England for an abortion. I hope the case was followed up closely to find out who impregnated her, as she was in the charge of the State.

Child care costs are another issue, as people take socio-economic factors into account when making decisions on crisis pregnancies and we do not have anything like affordable child care. I welcome the fact that women cannot be dismissed for becoming pregnant under our equality legislation, and the equal status for children whether born within or outside marriage. Those welcome developments in my lifetime have made a difference but we need to take the strategy put forward by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency very seriously. Many of its recommendations are of socio-economic import and I hope the Government will make funding available to support the report's findings.

Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State.

I am interested in this debate because of the genesis of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. It was one of the exceptional success stories to emerge from the debate and analysis of the abortion issue. The objective of reducing the number of pregnancies and hence abortions, as one follows the other, is a fine one, and the agency's other objectives, as laid out in its strategy, are very important. However, we must understand the impact of unplanned or crisis pregnancies as we tend to forget about that. Understanding that impact helps to inform the programmes we put in place, as it affects all age groups.

I will focus on younger girls who become pregnant. As Senator Henry said, for some teenagers pregnancy is not a crisis. They are thinking of nine months and then a tiny smiling baby, but they do not see the next 18 to 24 years of responsibility for that child. They do not think of the possible life of poverty and the lack of opportunities to get out of that poverty. What is really sad is that the person, boy or man, who gets them pregnant has run off and gone. He is not paying for the child, nor is he caring for the child 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We must look at those areas and realise there is a responsibility on all sides.

We must educate society on the responsibilities of men in particular. Every time they have unprotected sex they are putting themselves in a situation where they are creating children, and that is not good enough. We must get that responsibility across to people so that those aged 14 to 16 are thinking about the consequences of their actions when in discos late at night.

Crisis pregnancies probably do not result from reported rapes because the girl can be brought to a hospital or doctor for emergency contraception, which hopefully works. However, we must look at the subject of rape. I know of a recent case in which a girl of 15 was raped at 10 p.m. in a small country town. She did not report the rape until it was too late because she could neither talk about being raped nor deal with the stigma. What is going on in our society? That is not good enough. We need to give the message that rape is not acceptable. Five young men abused a lady in Limerick, if one could call them men; I could use another word beginning with "b". Those young men should be castrated. It is as simple as that. The abuse involved in that situation was absolutely disgraceful. Reports referred to it as a gang rape but it was not a gang rape. The woman was subjected to rape five times, one after the other. As Senator Feeney said to me earlier, if she had been murdered her life would have been taken away from her. She was not murdered but her life has still been taken away from her. What punishment will those men receive? Those issues also need to be considered in addressing crisis pregnancy.

The strategy also outlines the need to educate people about contraception, particularly its availability and cost. Those factors affect whether people use contraception or not. As chairman of the Western Health Board I am proud that in coming weeks the board will publish a guide on contraception which I hope will become widely available in the region. The guide needs to be simple. I have some facts about pregnancy here but to spare my listeners' blushes I will not read them all out. Some people still believe that women will not get pregnant if they are having sex for the first time or if they are breastfeeding. There are clear guides available from some health boards but they should be available throughout the country. Those guides should state the times women can get pregnant or when one needs contraception. They should be in understandable English, not in the medical speak sometimes used by doctors and nurses.

A submission on abstinence was made to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution's hearings on abortion and we need to talk more about that. I have daughters and I do not want to think of them or my son having sex at 14, 15 or 16 years of age. It is not right because they are not old enough and we must educate them with programmes for young people. We must educate parents to tell them it is acceptable to talk about this matter because if we are not talking about it we are not addressing the issue. If we do not give young people the confidence to discuss the issue it will not be okay for them to stand up to peer pressure by saying they do not want to have sex at 14, 15 or 16 years. We need to get rid of that peer pressure for males and females. Senator Henry is correct. We must not be afraid to point out to people that it is acceptable to wait until they are ready and that the older they are before having sex the better they can deal with it. There will also be fewer consequences in terms of crisis pregnancies. That is not a matter of having sex before or after marriage.

Cultural change has been mentioned and that is a very ambitious part of the strategy. I compliment the agency on addressing this as a key issue and while it is an ambitious, long-term objective, we need to talk about it. There were approximately 80 adoptions last year of Irish children born in this country. It is very sad that that is the number that was available for adoption. We should do something about adoption. People should find it easier to consider adoption as an option when they become pregnant, particularly if it is an unplanned pregnancy or one they particularly do not want.

Another submission to the all-party committee referred to the image of motherhood. How can we attach value to being a mother? How can we make it seem like one of the most important roles in society? That is part of the cultural change we must undertake.

Let us please try to make sure that we do not always treat an unplanned pregnancy as a crisis. This is not always the case; it may be an opportunity. We need to work on promoting the value of motherhood and to instigate a long-term campaign on this matter. We can examine models for this in the United States where it has already taken place.

Staff from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which is doing a great job, are in the Visitors Gallery. A set of objectives was given to them and a budget within which to work. Every organisation can do with more money and the Government is committed to continue funding in a three year programme. We have a great blueprint and a guide for policy makers. The challenge for us as a society, as a Government and, as legislators, is to implement the blueprint, review it and ensure that change will be implemented if required.

Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)
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I welcome this timely debate. Senator Feighan referred to the anniversary of the Anne Lovett case, which I also intended to raise. This case shocked the nation to its foundations. We were confronted with a teenager who considered herself so isolated in her pregnancy that she died giving birth in a field. Her baby also died. That event took place following a traumatic time for the nation, the abortion referendum of 1983. Since then we have had 20 years of sometimes difficult debate on the issue, but we have finally arrived at a position where we can talk about issues around female sexuality, pregnancy and abortion.

I welcome the members of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency to the House. I was a member of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution which recommended the establishment of this agency. Its setting-up was a landmark in our history of coming to terms with this issue as a nation. I compliment the work of the agency to date, in particular its advertisement campaign which is non-judgmental, straightforward, honest and extremely informative. I imagine that it effectively targets the intended audience.

The true measure of the effectiveness of the agency will be the reduction in the number of women travelling for abortions. As a nation we have to ask ourselves what we want to achieve. I hope it is our ambition to reduce the number of abortions. In doing so, we must ask ourselves what issues we need to address, as a number of people have done.

Following the X case and, more pertinently, the more recent C case, a legal situation is in place arising from court judgments on the 1983 referendum and the amendments since then. If a woman presents with a crisis pregnancy and wants a termination, it is legal for a GP to give this information or to direct her to where she can get it, such as to a clinic in Dublin. Such a clinic can then refer the woman further and even organise an appointment, travel and so on to Britain where an abortion can be carried out. This is what the people voted for. However, it is not legal for an abortion to take place here and we accept the decision of the wider community. This gives rise to a situation where health board staff accompany young teenagers to Britain for abortions. It is legally permissible for them to do so.

Is it not time for us to face up to the fundamental hypocrisy inherent in our approach to this issue? We find it acceptable that abortions take place in Britain and that Irish women travel there for abortions, but we do not want abortions to take place here. It is not a pleasant truth to face. Where do we stand on this matter? What message are we sending to women and the wider community? We clearly have a considerable road to travel in this regard. As a nation we are not ready to face up to this unpalatable contradiction.

Senator Cox raised the issue of our attitude to motherhood, parenting, pregnancy and adoption as well as to our sexual values. The Minister of State, Deputy Callely, referred to the issue of the sexual health of the nation. Last year a debate took place in the House about the implications of the abuse of alcohol. Concern was expressed at the behaviour of teenagers and young women, in particular, in regard to over-drinking and the related conduct which appears to be highly sexually irresponsible. We have to face up to this in the educational process. As Senator Cox said, we need to encourage an atmosphere in which it is all right to choose not to have sex with someone relatively unknown. We also need to encourage a level of responsibility around sexual behaviour and health not only among young women, but among young men also.

Parents need to be open with their children. I am the parent of a teenager and I also have a younger daughter. We have to be able to talk about these issues with children at home and in school. Great progress has been made. I commend the excellent relationships and sexuality education programme which starts in primary schools. Many people take the attitude that the school is taking care of this issue and are relieved that they do not have to think about it. However, they have to be involved in this matter as well because it is extremely important.

Senator Cox also raised the important issue of adoption. She rightly pointed out how few children are available for adoption. This matter also came up at the deliberations of the all-party committee. Adoption is a difficult area. Some women choose abortion over adoption because the latter is seen as a much more painful process. One has to go through the full pregnancy and then face the trauma of giving up one's child.

We need to look at how the issues that arise for all women can be resolved and how we can encourage a positive and supportive attitude around adoption. To give the gift of parenthood to a couple who are unable to have their own children is one of the greatest possible gifts. Anyone that would choose to do this should not only be supported, but also commended and given every resource necessary.

I am pleased to see that we have finally come around to judge this issue in the context of choice. Choices are available for women faced with crisis pregnancy.

John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State. I also welcome members of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency in the Gallery. While there may be crises and even unwanted pregnancies, there is no such thing as an unwanted baby and I would like the members of the agency to take this message from the debate. Many families in this country would love to adopt a child. Irish families are travelling all over the world, including to Guatemala, Russia and China, to bring back children for adoption. Part of the agency's remit should be to make it plain to young girls or women in crisis pregnancy that adoption is what they should seek for their children who will be loved, cherished and treasured. This is an important message as we are concerned with reducing the number of abortions, which are the worst possible option.

We need to find a coherent strategy to address the disturbing rise in the numbers of women seeking abortions in Britain. The establishment of the agency gives the opportunity to address this. We must develop a range of social measures to meet the needs of women in crisis pregnancy in tandem with the fullest possible protection for the unborn child. Young girls and boys are under huge pressure from the media, specifically British magazines. While they cannot vote until they are 18, the images presented to young people, and the pressures they are under, would be difficult for even adults to handle.

We can do something about crisis pregnancies and the rising trend in abortion - this rising trend is not inevitable. Statistics from Poland and parts of the United States show that when the conditions that pressurise women to opt for abortion are addressed, the abortion rate can be reduced. I instance the Vitae Caring Foundation in the State of Missouri. It has aired advertisements for a number of years and, because of this, Missouri has the fastest dropping abortion rate in the United States. This should be part of the remit of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

The abortion statistics for Poland show a dramatic decline. The fall in the rate pre-dated the tightening of Poland's abortion laws. While this may have been due in part to social changes that accompanied the fall of communism, it seems likely that targeted education campaigns had the dominant effect.

The suggestion has been made that we are in some way complicit in agreeing that abortion is okay in Britain, or that the health boards would send a girl to have an abortion there. It is not the preferred option. We are not the Mujahidin and do not prevent people from leaving the country. Surely the health boards should comply with our laws. The pure intent of our legislation is that the preferred option is life.

I suggest a more holistic approach. There should be respect for the dignity of the individual. Taking full account of the damage caused to emotions as well as the physical consequences of early sexual activity, there should be a campaign - as Senator Henry suggested - encouraging people to abstain from sex until they are better able to handle it emotionally. There is no contraception against getting hurt.

Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)
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I had not intended to speak on this motion. However, having listened to the contributions, I feel we are having a valuable debate that should be reflected upon by Members and the public. Since 1983, when the first constitutional amendment on the issue of abortion was put to referendum, we have had a long debate on abortion, its alternatives and where society should go. During the course of the most recent abortion referendum, the Minister decided to establish the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which was supported by the Fine Gael Party. If my memory serves me well, the agency may have been a suggestion proposed by the then Fine Gael spokesperson, Deputy Gay Mitchell. The agency has a huge role to play in offering people a real alternative, and as Senator Hanafin said, the alternative of life.

This debate is often emotive and we must be careful about the language we use. However, we must realise that in today's complex Ireland, this subject requires serious attention. We must put in place a series of aspirations for the country of what is the right and best way to proceed. We must encourage the maximum number of girls who find they have a crisis pregnancy to take the option of continuing with the pregnancy. Senator Hanafin's comments on adoption are worth reflecting on. We are all aware of many people who would love to adopt a child but for whom that option is not available. Ironically, many abortions are carried out in Europe each year while a large number of people want to adopt children yet are unable to do so. Many people would be in a position to provide a home and family for a child yet cannot get children from the adoption agencies.

We must put the necessary mechanisms in place to promote the concept of adoption so that girls who find they have a crisis pregnancy see that adoption is an available option. However, we must also realise that adoption does not solve the problem for everyone. That many single women now rear their child is to be welcomed. While the level of social support available in this State is reasonable, it could be expanded. A cutback in allowances for single parents going back to work was announced in the budget. This is regrettable. We should try to keep supports in place for single parents looking after their children and I am disappointed with the measures contained in the budget.

I support the work of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. I have seen its television advertisements which certainly convey a clear message. Much more advertising is necessary. Perhaps the promotion has to start at school level because at a later stage people may have preconceived ideas. The Minister is taking a very welcome step in the right direction, which is fully supported by all reasonable people. However, the Minister must ensure all young people are aware of the options open to them in a crisis pregnancy. A strong message must be sent out that the State is willing to provide the maximum social and financial support to those with a crisis pregnancy. As we describe ourselves as pro-life, we must put our money where our mouth is.

Joe O'Toole (Independent)
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The most important aspect of the debate is to recognise the times in which it is rooted. The most significant change is attitudinal. As a society, we no longer rush to pass judgment on those who are pregnant outside marriage, but are prepared to support them. As public representatives and legislators the main message to get across is that although State support is crucial, it cannot compare with the support of family and community, especially the extended family of both parents. It is important to recognise there are two parents; even if the young man is in his teens it is crucial that he is involved during the course of the pregnancy. Let me restate that all possible options should be made available and people should be aware of these. I regret the exodus to Britain, not necessarily on moral or ethical grounds but because people go in many cases as they feel they will not be supported. There are cases where families do not stand by a young woman who is pregnant outside marriage.

Yesterday, we discussed domestic violence and Women's Aid but in many ways blackmail and pressure is much worse than physical violence. As a society, we must ensure there is full non-judgmental support. We always go wrong in making a judgment as to the rights and the wrongs of a situation. In this situation a new life must be protected and the two parents and the child should be supported. No support the State can give is greater than the power of love. The child and his or her mother and father need to be loved. I have seen two cases in which teenagers had unplanned children where both parents subsequently went their separate ways and formed new relationships, but are still parenting the child. This proves the point of the importance of love and support. Those children could not ask for greater love than they are getting from their parents, even though the parents are in different relationships. Society may not like this, but children can be loved, respected and developed outside of marriage. It may be more difficult or pressurised but if people are committed they can do it. I believe that today's young parents are better and more responsible than former generations.

We have discussed an important issue and the work of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency is to be lauded.

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I thank all the Senators who contributed to the discussion and welcome the broad support for the strategy.

Senator Cox referred to the alleged violent rape in Cratloe outside Limerick, but obviously I do not wish to comment on the alleged case against the five youngsters. Several constituents have expressed their horror at that event. I wonder whether society consider mandatory sentencing for rape. Unfortunately, rape is prevalent and every few days we hear of women being raped. As a Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, I wonder at the attitude of those who commit these vile deeds.

From the Senators' contributions it is clear they are very positively disposed to the initiatives underpinned by the establishment of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. While it has only been in existence for two years, the agency has made its presence felt. The Positive Options campaign is a major information programme and the number of text messages received since its inception attest to the impact it is having and the very positive contribution it is making in providing useful information. It is also clear that the most effective way to reduce the number of women opting for abortion when faced with a crisis pregnancy is to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies in the first instance. We can only reduce the number of crisis pregnancies by facing the reality of sexual health in Ireland and reacting in a mature and reflective manner. I commend the Senators who have spoken because in the past the debate was too emotive, with insufficient reflection on facing up to the reality. I believe the strategy makes a major contribution to addressing the issue of crisis pregnancy. The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, and I are looking forward to working with the agency in implementing the strategy.

The various points raised by the Senators will be taken into consideration in evolving further policies.

Sitting suspended at 12.40 p.m. and resumed at 12.50 p.m.