THE OIREACHTAS HEALTH Committee has finalised its list of witnesses for three days of hearings on proposed abortion legislation.

The public proceedings on the 17, 20 and 21 May will discuss the Heads of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 with medical and legal experts, as well as members of the administration.

Unlike the committee’s previous hearings, chaired by Jerry Buttimer, there will be few representatives from advocacy or religious groups giving evidence.

Buttimer described the proceedings as “pre-legislative scrutiny” of the heads of bill. He noted that the committee will also examine written submissions from interested parties, as well as hearing from invited experts from the medical, psychiatry and legal fields. He said he regrets that all requests could not be accommodated.

“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,” he added.

The following individuals and organisations are scheduled to appear in the Seanad:

Friday, 17 May

9.30am – 11am: Policy – Overview of Heads of Bill

• Minister James Reilly
• Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary General at the Department of Health
• Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer

11.15am – 1.45pm: Regulatory and Representative Bodies

• Institute of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
• Irish College of General Practitioners
• Irish Medical Council
• Irish Medical Organisation
• Royal College of Physicians of Ireland

2.30pm – 5pm: Obstetric Care Facilities – Larger Hospitals

• Dr Peter Boylan, National Maternity Hospital
• Dr Sam Coulter-Smyth, Rotunda Hospital
• Dr Rhona Mahony, Master, National Maternity Hospital

5.15pm – 7.45pm: Obstetric Care Facilities – Other Hospitals

• Dr Gerard Burke, Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital, Limerick
• Dr Mary McCaffrey, Kerry General Hospital, Tralee
• Dr Máire Milner, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
• Dr John Monaghan, Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe

Monday, 20 May

9.30am – noon: Psychiatry and Perinatal Psychiatrists

• Dr Anne Jeffers, Consultant Psychiatrist, College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
• Dr Maeve Doyle, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
• Dr Joanne Fenton, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist
• Dr Anthony McCarthy, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist
• Dr John Sheehan, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist

12.15pm – 2.45 pm: 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

3.30pm – 6pm: 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

6.15pm – 8.45 pm: Other Medical Specialties

• Claire Mahon, President, Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation
• John Saunders, Chair, Mental Health Commission
• Dr Kevin Walsh, Consultant Cardiologist, Crumlin & Mater Misericordiae Hospital
• Dr Janice Walshe, Consultant Medical Oncologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital

Tuesday, 21 May

9.30am – noon: Medical Law

• Paul Brady, Barrister at Law
• Simon Mills, Barrister at Law
• Tony O’Connor, SC
• Caroline Simons, Solicitor

12.15pm – 2.45pm: Constitutional Law

• Professor William Binchy, Barrister at Law, Trinity College Dublin
• Dr Maria Cahill, University College Cork
• Frank Callanan, SC
• Justice Catherine McGuinness, retired Supreme Court Judge

3.30pm – 6pm: Medical Ethics

• Ciaran Craven, Barrister at Law
• Dr Ruth Fletcher, Keele University
• Sunniva McDonagh, SC

6.15pm – 8.45pm: Members Times/Closing Statements

• Minister of State, Alex White

Proceedings can be watched live on UPC Channel 207 and online at the Oireachtas website. They will also be streamed live on TheJournal.ie.

Here’s what we know about the Oireachtas abortion hearings

Revealed: The three independent TDs voting against abortion proposals