Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014
282. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013; if he has been notified of terminations taking place under this Act; the discussions and number of meetings between his Department, the Health Service Executive and the medical professional bodies concerned regarding guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7418/14]
View answerAs the Deputy might be aware, the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 commenced on 1st January 2014. The Act provides that I, as the Minister for Health, must publish a report covering the operation of the Act in the preceding year by 30th June each year and lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. As the Act was commenced on 1st January 2014, the first annual report covering its operation will be published in June 2015.
Last September a committee was established to develop a Guidance Document to assist health professionals in the implementation of the Act. This is a multi-disciplinary committee of experts in medicine, nursing and midwifery, and law, including representatives from my Department, the Health Service Executive and the relevant medical professional bodies (the full membership is detailed in the table). The Committee has now met six times.
The Guidance Document is at an advanced stage and it is expected to be signed off shortly. The Document will include identifying referral pathways to fulfil the requirement of the Act and other relevant operational matters.
Membership
|
S/N |
Field |
Name |
Title |
Organisation |
|
1 |
Independent Chair |
Dr. Declan Bedford |
Specialist in Public Health Medicine |
Independent |
|
2 |
Obstetrics |
Dr. Geraldine Gaffney |
Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist Galway University Hospital |
Nominee: Institute of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists |
|
3 |
Obstetrics |
Prof. Michael Turner |
National Clinical Lead in Obstetrics and Gynaecology |
Nominee: HSE Clinical Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology |
|
4 |
Mental Health |
Dr. Joanne Fenton |
Consultant Psychiatrist - Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital |
Nominee: HSE Clinical Programme in Mental Health |
|
5 |
General Practice |
Dr. Miriam Daly |
Director Women’s Health Programme |
Nominee: The Irish College of General Practitioners |
|
6 |
General Practice |
Dr. Joe Clarke |
National Clinical Lead in Primary Care |
Nominee: HSE Clinical Programme in Primary Care |
|
7 |
Nursing and Midwifery |
Ms. Sheila Sugrue |
National Lead Midwife/Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems UCD |
Nominee: HSE Nursing and Midwifery Services |
|
8 |
Medical Ethics |
Dr. Deirdre Madden |
Senior Lecturer in Law, University College Cork |
Independent |
|
9 |
Psychiatry |
Dr. Anthony McCarthy |
President College of Psychiatrists in Ireland |
Nominee: College of Psychiatrists in Ireland |
|
10 |
Physical Health |
Dr. Kathleen McGarry |
Consultant Physician, Our Lady’s Hospital Navan |
Nominee: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
|
11 |
Senior Executive |
Dr. Cate Hartigan |
Head of Health Promotion and Improvement |
Nominee: HSE Corporate |
|
12 |
Policy |
Ms. Geraldine Luddy |
Principal Officer, Social Inclusion Unit |
Department of Health |
