Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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794. To ask the Minister for Health the work being carried out with respect to revising the model of care applied to terminations of pregnancy; the person or body he has assigned to revise the model of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5254/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and limit the spread of COVID-19, the Department of Health and the HSE worked together to put new arrangements in place to temporarily allow termination of pregnancy services in early pregnancy to be provided remotely.

For the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, where the need for social distancing, reducing personal contacts and reducing the burden on medical practitioners are paramount, it will be possible for a woman to access a termination under section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (i.e. before 12 weeks) from her medical practitioner by telephone or video conference consultation.

The arrangement enabling remote consultation will lapse once the public health emergency is declared over, and the normal functioning and requirements of the original Model of Care for early pregnancy will resume (i.e., visits to medical practitioners).