Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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820. To ask the Minister for Health if she is satisfied with the conclusion made in the 2021 Review by the HSE's National Women and Infants Health Programme that telemedicine abortion is safe for women when the HSE in 2022 confirmed that meeting the woman in person increases the likelihood of the provider identifying any coercion or domestic abuse. [25446/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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821. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department will undertake further independent research into abortion provision in light of the HSE's more recent position since the 2021 review that telemedicine abortion can make it more difficult to identify coercion or abuse. [25447/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 820 and 821 together.

The Revised Model of Care for Termination of Pregnancy Services was introduced in response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

In light of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in 2021, my Department requested the HSE to review whether remote consultation as part of a blended approach to termination of pregnancy care should be continued post public health emergency, in community care settings.

The review supported the retention of remote consultation as part of a blended approach to termination of pregnancy care. While the revised blended Model of Care provides for remote consultation, in general, early medical termination of pregnancy will be provided by in-person or a blend of in-person and remote consultation. Full remote provision of early medical termination of pregnancy will not be routine and will only be provided in extenuating circumstances, using clinical judgement and putting appropriate safeguards in place.

The safety of termination of pregnancy by telemedicine is endorsed by organisations with significant experience in providing termination of pregnancy care including, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The revised model of care has now been approved as the enduring model of care.