Report sheds light on abortion accessibility in Kilkenny

An independent report into the effectiveness of the nation's abortion laws has highlighted that there are currently six GP contracts for the provision of abortion services in Kilkenny.

The report states that in the South-East region, 'women are depending on very low numbers of providing GPs, which makes for extremely tenuous service provision, at risk of ceasing altogether were the provider to withdraw the service'.

Compiled by barrister Marie O'Shea, the report also highlights that there were 243 terminations recorded in Kilkenny from 2019 to the end of 2021.

It noted that St Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny was still engaging in the recruitment process to fill a position that would allow for the provision of termination of pregnancy services up to early 2023.

Government policy is that termination of pregnancy services should be provided in all nineteen maternity hospitals.

According to the report, the current status of service provision 'is being attributed by the HSE and the Department of Health to the lack of consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists willing to provide the service, mostly on the grounds of conscientious objection, or of not being willing to lead and provide the service alone, without peer support'.

One of the key recommendations the report calls for is for the removal of the current mandatory three-day waiting period between the certification of a termination of pregnancy and the procedure taking place.

It also recommends that the Department of Health engage with stakeholders to obtain a better understanding of the difficulties in making diagnoses relating to whether the condition of the foetus will lead to death in utero or within 28 days of birth.

It has also called for the development of ministerial guidelines to provide clarity on the thresholds of 'risk' to the life or 'serious harm' to the pregnant woman.

The report added that the Department of Health should amend the legislation to acknowledge it may be difficult to predict whether a termination would avert the risk to a woman’s life or health.

In response, Cabinet has agreed to refer the recommendations proposing legislative change to the Joint Committee on Health for its consideration.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) will establish an implementation group to deliver the operational recommendations.

Expanded access to abortion was brought into law in Ireland following a referendum which repealed the eighth amendment of the constitution in 2018.

Prior to the referendum, termination of pregnancy could only be performed where there was a risk to the life of the mother.