Groups: Need for lawful abortions in some cases

There is an urgent need for interim measures to allow women with life-threatening pregnancies to have timely access to lawful abortion in cases where there is risk to their lives, the National Women’s Council of Ireland has warned.

The issue has come into focus after a parliamentary question by Labour TD Patrick Nulty revealed that nothing has been put in place to give effect to the X case judgment. This stated there could be lawful termination in cases where life was in danger.

A 2010 European Court of Human Rights ruling found Ireland to be in breach of its human rights obligations in the case of a woman with a life-threatening pregnancy, known as Miss C.

Acting CEO of the women’s council, Orla O’Connor, said access to safe and legal abortion services was a human rights issue.

“By criminalising abortion in almost all circumstances, Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws deny women the most fundamental rights to privacy, to self-determination and to exercise these rights without discrimination,” she said.

“And so 4,422 women travelled to have an abortion in 2010. This situation cannot be tolerated anymore. NWCI is calling on the government to introduce interim measures as a matter of urgency.”

Health Minister James Reilly said, in the PQ response, that the scenarios he outlined were “not deemed satisfactory or appropriate” by the European court.

The Irish Family Planning Association said the lack of action on the European court judgement had also been noted by the Council of Europe.

Association boss Niall Behan said “women with life-threatening pregnancies, and their doctors, are still in exactly the same situation as they have been for the last 20 years with no clarity at law, no services in place and no option but to travel to the UK for abortion services”.

“It is inexcusable that the minister has not introduced interim measures to vindicate the rights of pregnant women whose lives are at risk,” he said.