A detailed review of the State’s abortion laws has been completed and sent to the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. Almost 20,000 abortions took place in Ireland in the first three full years of the law’s operation.
This could result in changes to the law to enable an even more permissive abortion regime.
A spokesman for Mr Donnelly said he would consider its findings and bring a memo to Cabinet within weeks. It will then be published in mid April.
The Pro Life Campaign has argued that the review must take into account “the urgent need to provide women in unplanned pregnancies with positive alternatives to abortion”. They also said the report “must consider the issue of foetal pain relief”.
The National Women’s Council (NWC) however has said the ‘criminalisation’ of doctors, the mandatory three-day waiting period and the 12-week limit are “all limiting access to abortion for those who need it and this review must lead to evidence-led legislative reform”.
