Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
2423. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will put in place an information system in regard to the provision of abortion services in Ireland which would provide information on the reason women choose to have an abortion as such information systems are available in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37779/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 permits termination to be carried out in cases where there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman; where there is a condition present which is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before or within 28 days of birth; and without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Under section 20 (1) of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, a notification of each termination of pregnancy carried out under the legislation must be notified to the Minister for Health within 28 days of it being carried out. The notifications are recorded on the form entitled “Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (Notifications) Regulations 2018” (Statutory Instrument No. 597 of 2018). The information in the form includes the grounds on which the termination of pregnancy was carried out.
The Annual Report on Notifications, published under section 20 (3) of the Act, provides information on the grounds on which each termination of pregnancy was carried out. The Annual Report 2020 is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ef674-health-regulation-of-termination-of-pregnancy-act-2018-annual-report-on-notifications-2020/.
