Gay Mitchell
Question:1 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children when the agency to support women with crisis pregnancies will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19447/01]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Crisis Pregnancies.
The proposals of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution concerning crisis pregnancies are among the matters being considered by the Cabinet committee, of which I am Chairman. Although, in principle, the Government is committed to an approach along the lines set out in the all-party committee report, considerable preparatory work needs to be undertaken before a plan can be put in place.
Work is under way in my Department on appropriate arrangements for the establishment of an agency along the lines proposed by the All-Party Committee on the Constitution. It is envisaged that the agency will be established by means of a statutory instrument under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961. A draft statutory instrument is being prepared by my Department and is being examined by the Office of the Attorney General.
It will be the task of the agency, when established, to prepare and implement a national plan to prevent crisis pregnancies. As I indicated to the House on 22 May, I am willing to have a debate on the establishment of this agency when further work has been undertaken in this regard.
I do not know the number of women who leave the State to have abortions. I would like the figures to be determined independently. I do not know if they are higher or lower than the claimed figures. We know, however, that there is a significant number each year. The objective of funding an agency to help women with crisis pregnancies is to reduce the number and assist people who do not want an abortion but have one because they feel they have no other course of action.
Does the Minister agree that nothing should receive greater priority than this issue, which is one of life and death? Why is it taking so long? The constitutional committee made its report some months ago and the recommendation for an expenditure of £50 million on a pro-life agency has been pressed by Fine Gael for a considerable period. When will we see the agency and the money? Does the Minister share my concern that the agency should be in operation at the earliest possible date?
I share Deputy Mitchell's concern. While we are going through the legal processes and preparatory work to establish the agency, other work is still ongoing in terms of the funding of many non-governmental counselling agencies providing counselling to many women with crisis pregnancies. Not all such women wish to have an abortion. Therefore, the services of the agency will have to be quite comprehensive. In that context, we increased the funding for the development of services over the past three years. Also, we have initiated a major public awareness campaign, Think Twice, the function of which is to change people's behaviour. It is a long-term project as one does not change behaviour patterns overnight.
I anticipate the statutory instrument and the establishment of the agency itself in the autumn.
Arising from the Minister's reply, may I take it from recent press reports that progress has been made on the wording for the pro-life referendum which is being proposed to accompany this agency? I detect, both within this House and outside, that the voices of those in favour of abortion or choice are not heard as they should be. The Government has, of its own volition, promised a referendum in this regard. When will it take place?
That is not within the scope of the question Deputy Mitchell submitted.
The inter-departmental committee, of which I am Chairman, has made some progress on both issues. They are interlinked. Any measures that emerge from the deliberations of the inter-departmental committee will have to address the establishment of an agency to deal with crisis pregnancies. It would be preferable if this were to occur in conjunction with a referendum. The progress of the inter-departmental committee will be considered by the Cabinet.