88 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to implement the recommendations contained in the women and crisis pregnancy study undertaken at the request of his Department. [9477/00]

101 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Health and Children the policies, if any, he will implement to reduce the number of women terminating pregnancies outside the State; and the action taken by the Government in this area. [9098/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 101 together.

When the Women and Crisis Pregnancy report was published in 1998 the view of my predecessor as Minister was that it would not have been appropriate to publish a major report containing recommendations while the consultation process leading to the preparation of the Green Paper on abortion was under way. The report as published did not contain recommendations but did contain detailed findings and conclusions, based on the research undertaken. The research team which had undertaken the study was invited to make a submission to the interdepartmental working group which was preparing the Green Paper, and such a submission was made. Along with other submissions received, this was taken into account in the drafting of the Green Paper.