Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2015
455. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health pursuant to provisions in the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, if he will provide the total number of applications for review received by the Health Service Executive; the number of reviews carried out; in the case of the reviews carried out, the reason the reviews were sought; the outcome of the reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26212/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy might be aware, the first annual report on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas as required under Section 20 of the Act yesterday. The report covers the period from 1 of January 2014 until the 31 of December 2014. The report shows that 26 terminations were carried out under the Act in 2014. Fourteen of these arose from a risk to the life of the mother arising from physical illness, nine from a risk to the life of the mother from emergencies arising from physical illness, and three arose from a risk to the life of the mother from suicide.
This total number of terminations (26) is in line with annual estimates presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee hearings on the General Scheme of the Bill in January 2013. The information published on these procedures is restricted in order to limit the risk of identification in what is a private confidential matter between patients and their doctors.
The HSE has also submitted a report as required under Section 15 of the Act on Reviews carried out in 2014. This report has also been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The HSE's report shows that one application for review was made to the Executive, one review was carried out under Section 7 of the Act, and the Review Committee found that this application did not meet the criteria for a termination of pregnancy under the Act.
