Labour questions lack of abortion legislation
The Taoiseach promised to bring in the legislation a year ago following the defeat of the Government's referendum aimed at outlawing suicide as grounds for abortion.
But 6,935 Irish women have gone abroad for abortions since the referendum was defeated in March 2002 no reduction on the numbers from last year.
A spokesperson for the Government said: "No decision has been made by the Government in relation to this matter.
"The question of what action, if any, should be taken in the light of the outcome of the referendum remains under consideration."
During the 2002 abortion referendum, the Government had also promised to take steps to reduce the number of women travelling to Britain for abortions, Labour's health spokeswoman Liz McManus said.
Despite this, there is no reference to an abortion bill in the Government's legislation programme up to the middle of 2004, according to Ms McManus.
"Doctors dealing with crisis pregnancies are frequently called upon to make crucial decisions involving the lives and welfare of their patients but the absence of legislation means they only have the Supreme Court for guidance," the Labour TD added.
The Supreme Court ruled in the X case in 1992 that a pregnancy could be terminated when there was a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, including suicide.
Legislation is needed to provide clarity, certainty and statutory protection for current medical practice, Ms McManus said.
"The Government cannot be allowed to ignore the will of the people clearly expressed in the referendum 12 months ago," she added.
Ms McManus also claimed that the Government has no intention of bringing in the promised legislation.
During the 2002 abortion referendum the Government vowed to set up a Crisis Pregnancy Agency.
There was a delay of several months in setting this up and its budget for the current year has been slashed by 11%, Ms McManus said.
The Government sought to roll back the Supreme Court judgement in the X case by inserting and amendment to the Constitution that would rule out the threat of suicide as grounds for an abortion here.
But this was defeated by a narrow margin in the 2002 poll.
And the Government also wanted to give legislative support to medical practices that are already in place in hospitals.
Labour believes the people showed sound judgement in rejecting the Government's proposal.
"It would have diminished the right to life of a woman and created an unfair distinction between her physical and mental health," Ms McManus said.
