Written answers

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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2185. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the payments issued to date to each of the 352 general practitioners providing termination of pregnancy services within the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20058/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In Ireland, termination of pregnancy is available in certain circumstances: women in early pregnancy (up to 12 weeks); if there is a risk to life or health; if there is risk to life or health of a pregnant woman in an emergency situation; or any condition likely to lead to the death of the foetus.

Under Section 20(3) of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, the Minister for Health is required to prepare a report on the notifications of terminations of pregnancy received during the immediately preceding year, and lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas not later than 30 June. Material published on information contained in notifications is restricted in order to limit the risk of identification in what is a private, confidential matter between patients and their doctors.

The first annual report which was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 30 June 2020 shows that during the period 1 January to 31 December 2019, 6,542 medical procedures were carried out in early pregnancy under the grounds set out in Section 12 of the Act.

Terminations of pregnancy at 9 weeks and under are provided in a community setting by participating General Practitioners, Family Planning Clinics and Women's Health Clinics. In 2019, €2.9m was paid in fees to all providers of termination of pregnancy services in a community setting.

The second annual report on the notifications of terminations of pregnancy received during the period 1 January and 31 December 2020 will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas by end-June 2021. I believe that in the light of this statutory requirement, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the annual report by publishing data, the effect of which would be to place in the public domain information of a type intended by the Oireachtas to be addressed in the annual report.

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