Inquiry into pregnancy counselling service

The HSE will investigate concerns over the advice being provided by the Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Service, it emerged yesterday.

HSE director general designate Tony O’Brien said the probe will be chaired by Bridget McManus, former secretary general of the Department of Education.

He said it followed an internal review into claims that some counsellors gave information about how to illegally smuggle the abortion pill into Ireland.

Mr O’Brien commented on the investigation at a meeting of the joint Oireachtas committee on health and children.