Creighton on brink of FG exit on abortion
The European affairs minister said yesterday she still hoped her concerns about the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill would be addressed by way of 11th-hour amendments.
However, with no indication from Government of a willingness to make changes, it now seems unlikely she will be able to support the bill when it goes to a vote in the Dáil tonight.
Ms Creighton hinted she may vote yes, even with the retention of the clause allowing abortion in cases of threatened suicide, if details of her proposed “care pathway” for suicidal pregnant women were included in the legislation.
Under her proposal, immediate intensive and comprehensive medical treatment and other supports would be used to try to help a suicidal mother-to-be continue her pregnancy.
“If I felt that there were a genuine attempt to improve resources and put in place a clear pathway for treatment for women I would feel more comfortable [about voting for the bill],” said Ms Creighton.
“I would still find it very difficult, so I can’t give a definite answer, but I certainly would feel much more reassured for the women of Ireland if that were the case.”
However, Ms Creighton’s pathway to care proposal was dismissed as “extraordinary” and “totally impractical” by one of the country’s perinatal psychologists.
Anthony McCarthy said: “I would love it if it were practical [but] mental health services in Ireland... have always been under-resourced and cut back.
“The idea that, around the country from Dublin to Caherciveen to Drumshambo, there would the availability in emergency departments of psychiatrists who would do comprehensive suicide assessments within two hours, of social workers who could do psychosocial assessments within 24 hours, [when] we don’t have them on call at weekends [and] we have emergency departments in the country that do not have liaison psychiatrists full stop... That’s totally unrealistic — those people are not there.”
Ms Creighton said she was ready for the consequences of voting against the bill, which would mean the loss of her ministerial post and expulsion from the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
“I am still holding out some bit of hope but if... I find I can not vote for this legislation this week, then I may well be outside of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
“I think it’s regrettable. I don’t think any member should be outside of the Fine Gael parliamentary party for voting with their conscience.”
Seven of Ms Creighton’s party colleagues — Peter Mathews, Billy Timmins, Terence Flanagan, Brian Walsh, John O’Mahony, Michelle Mulherin, and John Paul Phelan — may also vote against the bill.
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