Health Committee finalises witness list for hearings on the Heads of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013

The Committee on Health and Children have finalised the witnesses to appear over three days of public hearings on the 17th, 20th and 21st May 2013 to discuss the Heads of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013.
The following individuals and organisations are scheduled to appear before the Committee over the three days:

Friday 17th May – Seanad Eireann (Policy, Medical & Obstetrics)

Session 1: 9:30 - 11:00 Policy - Overview of Heads of Bill


· Minister for Health, James Reilly TD
· Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary General, Department of Health

· Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer


Session 2: 11:15 - 1:45 Regulatory & Representative Bodies
Institute of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists:


· Prof Robert F. Harrison, Chair
· Dr Cathy Allen

· Dr Meabh Ni Bhuinneain

· Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe


Irish College of General Practitioners:

· Dr Seamus Cryan, President, ICGP Executive
· Mr Kieran Ryan, CEO

· Dr Darach O'Ciardha, Chair of Communications

· Dr Margaret O’Riordan, Medical Director


Irish Medical Council:

· Prof Kieran Murphy, President
· Ms Caroline Spillane, CEO


Irish Medical Organisation:

· Dr Matthew Sadlier, President
· Ms Vanessa Hetherington, Policy Executive


Royal College of Physicians of Ireland:

· Prof John Crowe, President
· Prof Frank Murray, Registrar

· Prof Desmond Carney, Fellow

· Prof Declan Sugrue, Fellow


Session 3: 2:30 - 5:00 Obstetric Care Facilities – Larger Hospitals

· Dr Peter Boylan, National Maternity Hospital
· Dr Sam Coulter Smyth, Master, Rotunda Hospital

· Dr Rhona Mahony, Master, National Maternity Hospital


Session 4: 5:15 – 7:45 Obstetric Care Facilities – Other Hospitals


· Dr Gerard Burke, Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital, Limerick
· Dr Mary McCaffrey, Kerry General Hospital, Tralee

· Dr M áire Milner, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

· Dr John Monaghan, Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe


Monday 20th May – Seanad Eireann (Psychiatry & Other medical Groups)

Session 1: 9:30 - 12:00 Psychiatry & Perinatal Psychiatrists
College of Psychiatrists of Ireland:


· Dr Anne Jeffers, Consultant Psychiatrist
· Dr Maeve Doyle, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

Perinatal Psychiatrists:

· Dr Joanne Fenton, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist

· Dr Anthony McCarthy, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist

· Dr. John Sheehan, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist


Session 2: 12:15 – 2:45 Psychiatry

· Dr Yolande Ferguson, Consultant Psychiatrist, Tallaght Hospital
· Dr Peadar O'Grady, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

· Prof Veronica O'Keane, Consultant Psychiatrist, Tallaght Hospital & TCD

· Dr Eamonn Moloney, Consultant Psychiatrist, Cork University Hospital


Session 3: 3:30 – 6:00 Psychiatry

· Prof Kevin Malone, Consultant Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s University Hospital & UCD
· Dr Bernie McCabe, Consultant Psychiatrist, Navan Hospital

· Dr Jacqueline Montwill, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mayo Mental Health Service

· Dr Sean O’Domhnaill, Consultant Psychiatrist


Session 4: 6:15 – 8:45 Other Medical Specialties

· Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation: Ms Claire Mahon, President
· Mental Health Commission: Mr John Saunders, Chair

· Dr Kevin Walsh, Consultant Cardiologist, Crumlin & Mater Misericordiae Hospital

· Dr Janice Walshe, Consultant Medical Oncologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital


Tuesday 21st May ?€ “ Seanad Eireann (Legal Hearings)

Session 1: 9:30 - 12:00 Medical Law

· Mr Paul Brady, BL
· Dr Simon Mills, BL

· Mr Tony O’Connor, SC

· Ms Caroline Simons, Solicitor


Session 2: 12:15 – 2:45 Constitutional Law

· Prof William Binchy, BL, Trinity College Dublin

· Dr Maria Cahill, University College Cork

· Mr Frank Callanan, SC

· Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, retired judge of the Supreme Court
Session 3: 3:30 – 6:00 Medical Ethics


· Dr Ciaran Craven, BL
· Dr Ruth Fletcher, Keele University

· Ms Sunniva McDonagh, SC



Session 4: 6:15 – 8:45 Members Time / Closing Statements

· Minister of State, Mr Alex White TD

Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “This is pre-legislative scrutiny at Heads of Bill stage which is a consultative process involving the Committee examining written submissions along with hearing from invited expert witnesses from the medical, psychiatry and legal fields. The Committee wishes to record its thanks to all those who offered to come before us and regrets that it cannot accommodate every request.

“The hearings will be broadcast live to the citizens we serve on Oireachtas UPC Channel 207, accessible to over 300,000 homes across the country, and webcast live on the Oireachtas website. As a Committee, we hope that the debate is conducted in a temperate and moderate fashion, and that the hearings make a considered contribution to the shaping of this significant piece of legislation.”

Committee hearings can be followed live over the three days via the Seanad webcast feed:

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/watchlisten/live-flashplayer/seanadeireann/