Friday 7th February 2020, University College Cork

This first workshop set the scene for network members to explore and identify ways in which pregnant subjects are and have been framed culturally, ethically, philosophically, and legally in Ireland to date and explored possibilities for reframing the pregnant subject in a post-repeal Ireland.  

Given the subordination of all aspects of the pregnant subject in Ireland, it is no surprise that generations of women have experienced significant harms in pregnancy and childbirth. Yet, Irish cultural and legal frameworks have lacked the space to allow for an articulation of these harms.  This workshop will look at reproductive and sexual health in mental health policy, and unwanted interventions in childbirth along with the evolving role of capacity and the importance of supporting decision-making.

Friday 24th July 2020 (virutal workshop)

ELPIN were delighted to host their third workshop (the second to be run online) for the ELPIN members.  An online audience of 17 academics and clinicans heard two fascinating presentations from Dr Orla O'Donovan from UCC and Mairead Enright from the University of Birmingham.

This workshop (the third online offering for ELPIN members) took place on the 18th September 2020.  The main session was delivered by Dr Keelin Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician, and research colleague Dr Sarah Meaney, both from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre/CUMH/UCC.  The pair presented a series of short papers and abstracts covering a range of issues relating to the 'Experience of Fatal Foetal Anomaly'.  

Friday 20th November 2020 (virtual workshop)

At this 5th ELPIN workshop (the fourth to be held online) we welcomed Dr Ruth Fletcher from Queen Mary's University of London School of Law to present research on gestational time limits.  We also heard from Maeve Taylor from IFPA as she discussed the current position in regards to the Review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act.

This facilitated workshop engaged ELPIN members and develop a shared understanding and skills to inform further debates on the consultation and review on the Health Act (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) 2018.

At this online workshop, we were delighted to welcome the RE(al) Productive Justice Team from NUIG (Professor Eilionoir Flynn, Dr Jenny Dagg, Dr Aine Sperrin and Maria Ni Fhlatharta) to speak to the ELPIN membership about their work with a presentation entitled "Insights on reproductive justice using a disability rights lens". 

At this workshopl, ELPIN members reviewed and debatde the considerations and implications of a recent court case that came to the Irish High Court earlier in the month and which one of the ELPIN members had been in attendance.  The case was heard on May 24th and involved an order allowing HSE doctors at a maternity hospital deliver by caesarean section the child of a heavily pregnant woman who is currently remanded in custody.  The High Court made the order after lawyers for the HSE said that the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, suffers from a mental health illness and lacks the capacity to make decisions regarding her own and her unborn infant's health.

For our last ELPIN Spring Series seminar, we were delighted to welcome Dr Sheelagh McGuinness and Dr Suzanne Boyle Guiloud from Brisol University, who will be presenting their work on Pregnancy and Birth at the Court of Protection, along with Dr Samantha Halliday, Assoc Professor in Biolaw, University of Durham to the ELPIN meeting to discuss her paper "Conceiving Better Birth Plans: Mental Illness, Pregnancy and Court Authorised Obstetric Intervention".  We also tied up previous content and discussion from ELPIN seminars with debate led by clinicians Professor Keelin O'Donoghue and Dr Richard Duffy

The final ELPIN workshop took place on Friday 22nd October in the Glucksman Gallery on the UCC campus.  The programme covered a wide-ranging agenda and we were so fortunate to have both in person and online experts to contribute to a wide ranging programme covering a range of themes.  We were delighted to have 16 delegates in attendance in person, along with two online speakers, and a further 7 remote attendees on the day.