Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
1239. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health to clarify if the mandatory three-day waiting period before being able to access abortion services will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11647/24]
View answerThe final Report of the Review of the operation of the Health(Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was submitted to me at the end of February 2023. It made a range of recommendations, most of which are operational in nature, with some proposing legislative change.
The Report was considered by Cabinet on April 25th 2023. The HSE, as agreed by Government, has established an implementation group to progress the operational recommendations. The proposals recommending legislative changes, including changes to the three day wait, were referred to the Joint Committee on Health for consideration.
In December 2023, the Joint Committee on Health issued a report on the proposed legislative recommendations. This is now being considered in my Department.
