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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Abortion law adverse incidents

Summary

Deputy Tóibín raised figures from the State Claims Agency on adverse incidents under abortion legislation and sought assurance they would be examined in the review. The Tánaiste said he would inquire with the Minister for Health, and after the Deputy referred to Baby Christopher, he agreed that was certainly the case.

The Department of Health has confirmed to me that, since the enactment of the abortion law, the State Claims Agency has been notified of 103 adverse incidents relating to that legislation. It is an extraordinary figure. An abortion review is happening now, but I cannot get a commitment from the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, that any of those adverse incidents will be analysed in that context. In truth, the 20,000 abortions that have happened so far under this law are, individually, adverse incidents for each of those children whose lives have been taken. The Tánaiste will be aware of the horrific case in Holles Street hospital where baby Christopher was aborted after his parents were incorrectly told he was terminally ill. The HSE promised that new guidelines would be drawn up to ensure that this would never happen again. Once the tragic story fell out of the media headlines, however, those new guidelines never materialised. Where are they now?

Comment on this

I would think that is a Topical Issue matter, but I call the Tánaiste.

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I am afraid I do not know. I will make inquiries with the Minister for Health and ask him to respond directly to the Deputy regarding this issue. When it comes to any surgical procedure, there will be adverse events, no matter what the procedure, and they do not all necessarily translate as negligence or harm.

Comment on this

Baby Christopher's certainly did.

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

That is definitely the case.

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