GP College Refuses to Hold Special Abortion Meeting

04.04.2019

The Irish College of General Practitioners has rejected a petition for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss abortion. In early March more than 600 GPs signed a petition calling on the ICGP to hold an EGM on abortion. The petition proposed several motions for debate. Some of the doctors who signed the petition have said they are considering their continued membership of the College after it refused to grant their request.

In a recent response from the ICGP, it said that the most appropriate arena through which to debate motions was at its forthcoming annual general meeting in May. The board of the ICGP has agreed to hold a debate on termination of pregnancy at the business session of the AGM on 4th May. Members have until 12th April to submit motions for debate. “This mechanism will allow members to debate and vote on motions as they may wish,” according to a letter signed by College President Dr John O’Brien, Chairman Dr John Gillman and CEO Mr Fintan Foy.

Members who submitted the petition have reacted angrily to the decision, with some indicating their intention to resign their membership of the ICGP.

The ICGP response points out that more than 300 GPs are providing abortion services and asks that their work be respected. The letter confirms that no career progression disadvantage “will arise whether GPs opt in or opt out to providing terminations”.

Medical Independent. March 29.