THE DEBATE AROUND removing the three-day wait period for an abortion is continued today in the Oireachtas health committee. 

Today, two GPs in favour of retaining the three-day wait period told the committee that in their view, the time gives pregnant women time to reflect and empowers them “to make fully informed decisions at a critical juncture in their lives”.

Both doctors said they were reflecting their personal views, describing themselves as pro-life. 

Dr Andrew Regan told the committee that “there is no clinical reason to remove it, but there are very important reasons to keep it”.

However, Fianna Fáil’s Martin Daly, who is also a GP, questioned the clinical data, stating that when such assertions are made before any committee, it should be backed up with relevant research studies. 

Dr Regan and Dr Kirsten Fuller told the committee that they do not offer abortion services to their patients.

Neither of the doctors was willing to tell the committee how many women have come to their practices seeking help and information about abortion services. 

Labour’s Marie Sherlock questioned if the GPs were the correct witnesses to appear before the committee on the three-day wait period, as they do not clinically engage with the service, and therefore do not have much experience with it. 

Chair of the committee, Social Democrats TD Padraig Rice said there were lots of discussions among members about ensuring a diversity of views with their witnesses. 

Rice went on to question the doctors if there is any other area of healthcare where they support a mandatory wait period before the patient can make a decision about their care. 

This point was also made by Senator Tom Clonan, who recalled how his mother was offered treatment before her passing, but decided against it, in the full knowledge of the consequences.

He asked if his mother should have been sent home and made to think about her decision that she had made about her own care. 

A number of TDs spoke in favour of retaining the three-day wait period, such as Fine Gael TD Peter Roche who said it is the “only safeguard”, while Independent TD Carol Nolan said, as a pro-life TD, she is very concerned about the possible changes. 

Previously, the committee heard from Dr Cliona Murphy, clinical director with the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme, who said the existing three-day requirement could have a greater impact on women in difficult circumstances.

She said the delay may not make “too much of a difference” to some women, but it does have a higher impact on those who are closer to “timing out” of the 12-week mark. 

In June, TDs voted to remove the three-day waiting period for those who seek an abortion.

The Sinn Féin bill united both opposition and some government TDs on what has historically been a divisive topic.

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s support for the proposal has set them at odds with the majority of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs, who voted no in the vote. 

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Why are the Taoiseach and Tánaiste supporting a Sinn Féin bill on abortion and will it pass?

When the Eighth Amendment was repealed in 2018, the new legislation stipulated that women who chose to have an abortion in Ireland would be made to wait three days between their GP consultation and the termination.

It was thought that some women may change their minds in this timeframe. However, there is no comprehensive data on how many have.

Some 86 TDs voted in favour of scrapping this rule and 70 voted against.

Today’s hearing follows on from other committee hearings where the proposed changes are being debated.

Last week, the Department of Health said it intends to propose an amendment to a Sinn Féin private members’ Bill to ensure “the option of a reflection period is preserved” if the mandatory requirement is removed.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people gathered to march from the Department of Health to Leinster House for the 15 March for Choice, organised by the Abortion Rights Campaign. The protest sought to highlight the barriers women still face in accessing abortion care in Ireland.