Reilly: We need clarity but may not require legislation

The Government may not need to legislate to clarify when a medic can carry out an abortion, Health Minister James Reilly said yesterday.

There were other options, including issuing a ministerial directive, he said.

Speaking in the wake of the tragic death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar, Dr Reilly said he would be “in a better position to comment” once he had read the review of the expert group set up by the Government to examine how Ireland could implement a European court ruling in relation to abortion rights.