Health officials remain silent on abortion options

Health officials will not outline what options they are considering to allow for abortion in limited circumstances when they appear before an Oireachtas committee today.

The health department said the exercise will involve the presentation of a statement on the expert group report and “where we are at” on the issue.

However, officials “won’t be talking about policy decisions because they are yet to be made” ahead of abortion legislation, which is expected to be delayed until the summer.

More than 40 witnesses will appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children over the next three days. The committee will not be able to make formal recommendations to the Government, but its chairman, Fine Gael’s Cork South Central TD Jerry Buttimer, insisted the hearings will “inform and lead the debate”.

Medical and legal experts will give their views, as will representatives of the Catholic Church and groups on both sides of the abortion debate.

“I think it’s very important that we hold these debates, hold these hearings, within the structure of the Oireachtas Committee on Health. They will allow us to hear different view points,” said Mr Buttimer.

He said the committee is “facilitating the discussion. We are not making recommendations, we are providing a forum for the expression of views, recognising that there is a broad range of views across the spectrum.”

The cross-party group will report to Government by the end of this month on what it has heard, “to help facilitate in the presentation of legislation later on in the spring”, said Mr Buttimer.

He said he hopes people will be “tolerant, respectful, and dignified in coming forward with [their] views”.

Among the committee’s members are Waterford Labour TD Ciara Conway, who has been vocal in favour of the need for abortion laws and Independent TD Mattie McGrath, who has spoken against liberalising the laws.

Tensions were already apparent as the committee met last night to discuss the format of the hearings. Mr McGrath saying he had concerns about some representatives.

“I’m very concerned about the make-up and the groups and how they were selected. Are we just going to be here for three days at the taxpayers’ expense?” he said.

Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty said: “There is a cohort of people who would be very vocal and would be pro-life. And there is a large cohort who want this issue dealt with. They want legislation so women can feel safe during their medical treatment, during pregnancy, in this country.”