Vigils demand abortion law

The HSE is to appoint an independent external expert to help it investigate the treatment of Savita Halappanavar, whose death prompted thousands to take to the streets to demand that the Government legislate for the X case ruling on abortion.

Ms Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she died at University Hospital Galway on Oct 28 after suffering a miscarriage and septicaemia. Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, alleged doctors refused several requests in the previous days for a medical termination because the foetal heartbeat was still present.

He claims he was told: “This is a Catholic country.”