Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 79: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will establish a regulatory framework applicable to crisis pregnancy agencies, a licensing system and a code of ethics similar to that enforced in other health professions and a mechanism to investigate allegations of unethical conduct and the application of appropriate sanctions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6947/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I assume that the Deputy's question refers to agencies that seek to manipulate women by providing a 'disingenuous' crisis pregnancy counselling and/or information service. While there are no plans to consider a regulatory licensing system proposed by the Deputy, the approach adopted by the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme, formerly known as the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, on this issue is, among other things, to further raise the public profile of State-funded crisis pregnancy services.

In this regard, the programme is working on a wide range of actions that include:

A public awareness campaign which I launched in July 2009 entitled "Don't be manipulated" which highlights the existence of disingenuous agencies and promotes the availability of free, non-judgmental State-funded crisis pregnancy services;

continuous promotion through the "Positive Options" campaign of the availability of free, non-judgmental and confidential State-funded crisis pregnancy counselling services. This campaign has been very effective in disseminating information on State-funded services. For example, statistics show that in 2008 72% of the target audience was aware of this campaign. The website for this campaign positiveoptions.ie received 58,469 visits in 2008, an increase of 78% compared with 2007, and 34,215 text messages were received requesting crisis pregnancy counselling information;

redevelopment of the "Positive Options" website to highlight the actions of disingenuous agencies and to give guidance on how to deal with same. This section outlines the tactics used by agencies with a hidden agenda; provides questions for people to ask before they make an appointment to assess the nature of the service being provided; gives guidance on what to do during a session if people feel they are being pressurised or influenced; and provides a mechanism for people to make contact with a State-funded service or other bona fide service;

prominent advertising of "Positive Options" and consumer tips in the Golden Pages, including the regional directories, under "Pregnancy Testing and Counselling" and "Family Planning" sections. The use of a common logo for all State-funded counselling services in current editions of the Directories;

funding of resources which provide clear objective information on the adoption process. The programme provides information on adoption in manuals used in the training of bona fide crisis pregnancy counsellors;

expansion of crisis pregnancy counselling services nationally by over 50% since the programme was established in 2001;

guidance for crisis pregnancy counselling services in responding to third party complaints they may receive about "disingenuous" counselling services;

standardised training and up-skilling for counsellors in State-funded crisis pregnancy counselling services.