Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 September 2020
193. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if enquiries were carried out by his Department to ascertain if women here were negatively impacted or suffered injury or death due to the prescription of abortion pills in view the death of two women in the UK after ingesting same prescribed by telemedicine during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24545/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and limit the spread of COVID-19, the Department of Health and the HSE worked together to put new arrangements in place to temporarily allow termination of pregnancy services in early pregnancy to be provided remotely.
For the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, where the need for social distancing, reducing personal contacts and reducing the burden on medical practitioners are paramount, it will be possible for a woman to access a termination under section 12 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 (i.e. before 12 weeks) from her medical practitioner by telephone or video conference consultation.
The arrangement enabling remote consultation will be reviewed once the public health emergency is declared over.
There is ongoing engagement between the Department of Health and the HSE on the delivery of termination of pregnancy services.
