Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2005

Tuesday, 29 November 2005

Questions (146, 147, 148, 149, 150)

Michael Ring

Question:

133 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to reform the Crisis Pregnancy Agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36494/05]

Mary Upton

Question:

144 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the policies of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36347/05]

Beverley Flynn

Question:

148 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends to review the mandate of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency; and if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of the Pro-Life Campaign in relation to the advisory role of the agency. [36398/05]

Michael Ring

Question:

158 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to reform the Crisis Pregnancy Agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36495/05]

Denis Naughten

Question:

203 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she has taken in relation to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency in view of the claims that it is advertising abortion as a positive option for persons; if this issue has been investigated and the outcome of such investigations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36914/05]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 144, 148, 158 and 203 together.

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency was established on 2 October 2001 under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961. The agency is to work with a wide range of agencies and interests to ensure a co-ordinated approach to address the issue of crisis pregnancy. The agency reports that over the past three years it has enabled the capacity for crisis pregnancy counselling to be increased by more than 50% and this year, the agency will allocate more than €3.5 million towards supports and services within crisis pregnancy.

The manner in which persons or agencies provide information about pregnancy termination services outside the State is regulated by the Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies) Act 1995. This Act permits the provision of abortion information to a pregnant woman only in the context of full counselling as to all available options and without any advocacy of abortion.

I am informed by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency that Positive Options is an information campaign. The agency has indicated that the campaign seeks to empower women to make an informed decision to deal with their crisis pregnancy by informing them, in a neutral way, of the support services available. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has advised me that it has received legal advice that the contents of Positive Options comply with the terms of the Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies) Act 1995. The work of the agency is monitored by my Department and I have no plans to amend its role or functions.