Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
905. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he plans to introduce measures to ensure care for women who initiate legal abortions in Ireland but whose abortion fails beyond the 12-week timeline and must travel abroad to receive an abortion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21357/21]
View answerSection 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 states that a termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner where, having examined the woman, he or she is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that the pregnancy has not exceeded 12 weeks of pregnancy. The medical practitioner must certify this opinion and three days must elapse between certification and the procedure being carried out.
Sections 9 and 10 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 set out other grounds on which termination of pregnancy is permitted in this country. Section 9 requires that two medical practitioners, having examined the pregnant woman, are of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman; the foetus has not reached viability; and it is appropriate to carry out the termination of pregnancy in order to avert the risk concerned. One of the two medical practitioners must be an obstetrician; and the other must be an appropriate medical practitioner, and both must certify their opinions in order for the termination to be carried out.
Section 10 deals with emergency situations. It provides that a termination of pregnancy may be carried out by a medical practitioner who, having examined the pregnant woman, is of the reasonable opinion formed in good faith that there is an immediate risk to the life or of serious harm to the health of the pregnant woman, and it is immediately necessary to carry out the termination of pregnancy in order to avert that risk.
It would not be appropriate for me, as Minister for Health, to intervene in medical practice to suggest how medical practitioners treat their patients, or to dictate the practice of obstetrics. Medical practitioners are bound through professional regulatory mechanisms to operate in accordance with best medical practice.
Clinical guidelines for the provision of termination of pregnancy services, within the legal framework set out in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, have been developed by the relevant professional medical bodies.
There is regular ongoing engagement between the Department of Health and the HSE to facilitate the operation of the service and to resolve any operational issues that may arise.
