Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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554. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE has carried out an internal review or investigation into the impact of the three-day waiting period provision within the existing abortion legislation. [60095/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 provides that a termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner who, having examined the pregnant woman, is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that the pregnancy concerned has not exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy. A three-day period must elapse between certification and the procedure being carried out.

Where a medical practitioner has formed the reasonable opinion in good faith that a woman’s pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks and certified that opinion, and the woman has fulfilled the three-day period, a second medical practitioner may carry out the procedure without a further three-day period where he/she has formed the reasonable opinion in good faith that the pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks and has certified that opinion.

I assume the Deputy is asking his question in the context of the review of the operation of the Act, required under section 7 and noted in the Programme for Government, which is being progressed this year. The review clause was included in the Act in order to facilitate monitoring of the impact, operation, and effectiveness of the legislation in practice, as well as of the delivery of services in the area.

It is too early at this stage to speculate as to the recommendations or areas for action which the review report may identify.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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555. To ask the Minister for Health the name of the groups and persons that have requested to meet him regarding the three-year review of the Health (Regulation of the Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; the groups and persons that his Department has initiated a meeting with; the requests that were granted to groups or persons since January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60096/21]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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580. To ask the Minister for Health when he will publish the terms of reference of the review to be established by the end of the month under Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; if he will seek the opinion of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on draft terms of reference; the timeline for the completion of the review; the membership of the review group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60273/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 580 together.

The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. Under section 7 of the Act, a review of the operation of the Act must be initiated within three years of the commencement of the Act, i.e., before January 2022.

The review of the operation of the Act is being progressed this year, in line with statutory and Government commitments, and will conclude in 2022.

As I have stated previously, an independent Chair will be appointed to lead the review, which will comprise a three-part approach to appraise the operation of the Act, with strands focusing on service users, service providers and a public consultation. Independent research commissioned to inform the service user and service provider strands will form key elements of the review. An opportunity will be provided for interested groups, organisations, and members of the public to provide their views to inform the review.

Upon completion, a full report with any necessary recommendations will be submitted to me, as Minister, for consideration.