Vol. 565 No. 4
146 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children his policy in respect of the provision of family planning services throughout the country; the number of specialist family planning clinics in each health board area; and his plans to ensure access to such services for all. [11292/03]
Each health board is obliged to ensure that an equitable, accessible and comprehensive family planning service is provided in its area. The Department issued guidelines to the health boards in 1995 on the provision of comprehensive family planning services to all persons in their area who need such services. These services are provided primarily through general practitioners, NGOs and, to some extent, maternity hospitals-units.
In recent years health boards have been asked to concentrate in particular on measures aimed at reducing unwanted pregnancies in the 15 to 34 age group and they are engaging in a range of initiatives in this regard. It is intended to continue to target initiatives at reduction, if possible, of the number of Irish women having abortions in Britain. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency will be working with health boards and with many other agencies in this regard.
The information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of specialist family planning clinics in each health board area is not readily available. My Department has therefore written to the chief executive officer of each health board and the regional chief executive of the ERHA to request it. This information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
