Labour resist abortion law ‘sunset clause’

The Labour Party will resist attempts by Fine Gael backbenchers to include a sunset clause in proposed abortion legislation — meaning it would have to be reviewed after a certain time before being extended.

Junior Minster Lucinda Creighton, who is leading a group of TDs and senators opposed to the liberalisation of abortion laws, said such a clause would “ensure the legislation wouldn’t be abused or used for unintended circumstances”.

The Government is due to introduce the legislation in the coming months. But it is being resisted by some pro-life backbenchers who believe that allowing the threat of suicide as grounds for a termination will “open the floodgates” for widescale abortion.