Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013

Notifications

20. (1) Where a medical procedure referred to in section 7 (1), 8 (1) or 9 (1) is carried out in respect of a pregnant woman at an appropriate institution, the person in charge of the appropriate institution shall—

(a) keep a record—

(i) in the prescribed form and manner of the carrying out of the medical procedure, and

(ii) containing the information specified in subsection (3),

and

(b) not later than 28 days after the medical procedure has been carried out, forward, or cause to be forwarded, a copy of that record, or such part of that record as may be prescribed, to the Minister in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) Where a medical procedure referred to in section 8 (1) is carried out in respect of a pregnant woman in a location other than an appropriate institution, the medical practitioner who carried out the medical procedure or, where appropriate, the person in charge (if any) of the location where the medical procedure was carried out shall—

(a) keep a record—

(i) in the prescribed form and manner of the carrying out of the medical procedure, and

(ii) containing the information specified in subsection (3),

and

(b) not later than 28 days after the medical procedure has been carried out, forward, or cause to be forwarded, a copy of that record, or such part of that record as may be prescribed, to the Minister in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) The following information is specified for the purposes of subsections (1)(a) and (2)(a):

(a) the Medical Council registration number attached to the registration of the medical practitioner who carried out the medical procedure referred to in section 7 (1), 8 (1) or 9 (1), as the case may be, in respect of the pregnant woman concerned;

(b) whether the medical procedure was carried out in respect of the pregnant woman pursuant to a section 7 certification, section 8 certification (whether made before or after the medical procedure was carried out) or section 9 certification and the Medical Council registration number attached to the registration of each of the medical practitioners who made the certification concerned;

(c) the name of the appropriate institution where the medical procedure was carried out in respect of the pregnant woman or, if that medical procedure is a medical procedure referred to in section 8 (1) that was carried out at a location other than an appropriate institution, a description of that location sufficient to identify it;

(d) the date on which the medical procedure was carried out in respect of the pregnant woman.

(4) The Minister shall, not later than 30 June in each year, prepare a report on the notifications received by him or her under this section during the immediately preceding year, and shall, as soon as may be after preparing the report, cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(5) The Minister shall arrange for a report laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas in accordance with subsection (4) to be published in such form and manner as he or she thinks appropriate as soon as practicable after copies of the report are so laid.

(6) In preparing a report under this section, the Minister shall exclude from the report information that identifies, or that could reasonably lead to the identification of—

(a) a woman who is the subject of a notification under this section,

(b) a medical practitioner referred to in subsection (3)(a), or

(c) a medical practitioner referred to in subsection (3)(b).

(7) In this section, “notification” means a copy of a record, or a part thereof, that is forwarded or caused to be forwarded to the Minister under subsection (1) or (2).