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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2001

Vol. 543 No. 1

Written Answers. - Crisis Pregnancy Agency.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

168 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has undertaken consultation with agencies providing support to women in a crisis pregnancy situation prior to drafting the Statutory Instrument No. 446 of 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25757/01]

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has been established on the basis recommended by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, in its fifth progress report. This report, as the Deputy will be aware, was the outcome of a detailed process of consultation, involving the seeking of written submissions and the holding of hearings at which the issues were discussed in detail with many of those who had made submissions. The statutory instrument which established the agency gives it wide scope in addressing the issue of crisis pregnancy and requires it to consult and work in partnership with the appropriate organisations in the preparation and implementation of its strategy.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

169 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the activities and spending which have taken place to date under the Think Twice campaign; if he will consider extending such a campaign to young people under the age of 16 years of age as part of the strategy to reduce crisis pregnancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25758/01]

Phase one of the Think Twice campaign, aimed at men and women in the 18 to 35 year old age group, which I launched last November has to date resulted in the following activities under the guidance of an expert advisory group: the dissemination of an information pack, to members of the media, health professionals and other relevant staff in the field of sexual health; the introduction of an advertising campaign with the "Think Twice" message; four regional workshops – two in Dublin, one in Cork and one in Sligo – with social partners and interest groups which facilitated discussion and information gathering on the topic; research – via focus groups – to establish needs and appropriate content for an information handbook; and collaboration with the Southern Health Board and their specialist staff to finalise resource material for the adult population in the workplace setting.

Phase two of the Think Twice campaign will be extended to young people under 16 years of age as part of the strategy to reduce crisis pregnancies. A subcommittee of the expert advisory group will support this initiative. It must be acknowledged that there are several existing initiatives aimed at the sexual health of young people, for example, relationships and sexuality education, RSE, and social, personal and health education; SPHE, curriculum within the school setting., the national Youth Health Programme "Too Hot to Handle' training for youth workers, the"Convenience Advertising Campaign" specifically targeting youth entertainment venues in the most disadvantaged areas and individual health boards funding NGO's to deliver sexual health programmes to young people at a regional level, for example, the Alliance Centre for Sexual Health in Cork. The campaign spend to date has been £378,173.

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