Sunday, December 16, 2012

11 top-level Irish consultant psychiatrists in letter oppose suicide as grounds for abortion.

11 top-level Irish consultant psychiatrists have sent a letter to FG TDs and Senators opposing suicide as a grounds for abortion.
The letter was signed by Jacqueline Montwill, consultant psychiatrist for Mayo Mental Health Services; Eugene Breen, CP Mater University Hospital; Alan Byrne, CP Naas; Patricia Casey, professor of psychiatry Mater/UCD; Ciaran Clarke, CP Barringtons Limerick; Brid Corkery, CP St Stephen's Hospital Cork; Brian Houlihan, consultant child psychiatrist at Children's University Hospital Temple St; Richelle Kirrane, CP John Connolly Hospital; Martin Mahon, CP John Connolly Hospital; Bernie McCabe, CP Navan Mental Health Services, and Geraldine Lyster, CP St Brigid's Hospital Louth.

Significantly, the letter claims that "termination of pregnancy is not a psychiatric treatment for suicidality, nor is it mentioned as such in any of the major textbooks of psychiatry'. The letter also expresses the belief that "offering an abortion to a distressed person who is psychiatrically ill would be strongly ill-advised since the person's capacity to make important life decisions is frequently impaired". Source:(JOHN DRENNAN-Sunday Independent )

I have already discussed the abortion issue in Ireland at length at
(1) Ireland: Reilly, Shatter and FG have NO Mandate to legalise abortion for suicide threat

AND

(2) Ireland: Reasons not to legalise Abortion

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