Written answers

Tuesday, 16 April 2024

Department of Health

Medical Qualifications

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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734. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 229 of 22 February 2023, the number of rogue crisis pregnancy agencies operating here of which his Department and the HSE are aware; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16534/24]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE recommend that people should contact My Options which is the official HSE service if they need information or support in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, or if they need post-abortion supports.

My Options is a free-phone helpline that provides free, non-judgemental information and support to anyone in Ireland experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, including information about how to access abortion services in Ireland. Qualified and trained counsellors are also available to provide free counselling to anyone in Ireland who is considering an abortion, or who has had an abortion regardless of where or when the abortion occurred.

Since the implementation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme has solely funded crisis pregnancy counselling services that provide information about all options (parenting, adoption, and abortion) as desired by individual service users. Between 2018 and 2022, there were 15 reported incidents of service users attending the above services having been in prior contact with a ‘rogue’ agency, however none of these incidents occurred in 2022. The HSE’s website (www2.hse.ie/services/unplanned-pregnancy/support-services/booking-a-counselling-session/) advises service users that they should only visit a HSE-funded unplanned pregnancy counselling service.

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