Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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769. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to change the clinical guidance in relation to abortion to enable those persons who initiate legal abortion care before 12 weeks to be provided with continuity of medical care by the HSE until their abortion completes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42042/20]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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770. To ask the Minister for Health the assessment being undertaken in relation to reports that failed medical abortions in Ireland resulted in the pregnant person being forced to travel to the UK for healthcare in 2020; the number of such instances since the enactment of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42043/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 769 and 770 together.

Section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 states that a termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner where, having examined the woman, he or she is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that the pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The medical practitioner must certify this opinion and three days must elapse between certification and the procedure being carried out.

It should be noted that sections 9, 10 and 11 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 set out other grounds on which termination of pregnancy is permitted in this country.

Changes to Clinical Guidelines for the provision of termination of pregnancy services, within the legal framework set out in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, are a matter for the relevant professional medical bodies.

Notification forms submitted to the Minister under section 20 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 do not require the detail the Deputy is seeking to be included on the form or notified to the Minister.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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771. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the upcoming review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; when and the way in which the review will take place; if there will be a special Oireachtas committee for the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42044/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, section 7 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 states that

“The Minister shall, not later than 3 years after the commencement of this section, carry out a review of the operation of this Act.”

The review clause was included in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 in order to facilitate monitoring of the operation of the legislation in practice, as well as of the delivery of services in the area. 

Details of the process for the Review, which will be conducted in 2021 as set out in the Programme for Government Our Shared Future, are currently being worked on by my officials.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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772. To ask the Minister for Health the counties that do not have access to abortion care via their general practitioners, in tabular form; the counties with no general practitioners providing early medical abortions; the actions being taken by his Department and the HSE to address these gaps in services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42045/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.