Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 1

Written Answers. - Referendum on Abortion.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

46 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has received a communication from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in relation to statements made in relation to the Green Paper and the forthcoming referendum on abortion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4558/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

On 4 February 2002, I received a letter from the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists regarding the Green Paper on Abortion. The college drew attention to a quotation contained in the Green Paper from a report entitled, The Physical and Psycho-Social effects of Abortion on Women, which had been produced in 1994 by a private commission of inquiry under the chairmanship of Lord Rawlinson of Ewell. The college indicated in its letter that the quotation in question did not accurately represent the statement to the Rawlinson commission of one of the psychiatrists who gave evidence on its behalf. The college stated that the psychiatrist had said that there were no absolute psychiatric indications for termination of pregnancy and that termination of pregnancy would always have to be worked out on the basis of an individual patient.

The quotation about which the college has expressed concern was quoted in the Green Paper on Abortion in good faith. It appeared in chapter 5, which dealt with the many submissions which had been received and the arguments made in them. The Green Paper stated explicitly that the inclusion of a particular argument or statement in that chapter did not indicate that the Cabinet committee which was responsible for the preparation of the Green Paper was in agreement with it.

The proposals which will be put to the people in the referendum on the Twenty-Fifth Amendment of the Constitution follow a detailed process of consideration and consultation. This included the preparation of the Green Paper and the detailed hearings held by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution at which the issues were explored in detail with many of those who had made submissions. In the course of this the all-party committee met representatives of the medical profession, including a number of psychiatrists, the churches, legal experts and a range of other interested parties to explore in detail the complex medical, legal and social issues involved. The Government believes that the evidence considered in the preparation of the Green Paper, and also the testimony and conclusions in the report of the all-party committee, do not support the maintenance of suicide risk as a ground for abortion in Ireland and would not justify the enactment of a legal basis for abortion to avoid such a risk.