Abortion panel proposal ‘cruel’ and ‘harebrained’

Doctors on both sides of the abortion debate yesterday united to condemn proposals that suicidal women be assessed by a six-consultant panel before being granted permission to terminate a pregnancy.

Anti-abortion psychiatrist Patricia Casey said the idea of forcing vulnerable women to go before a panel was “outrageous and harebrained”.

Doctors For Choice founder, child psychiatrist Peadar O’Grady, described the proposal as “ridiculous and cruel”.