Women who regret abortions to brief TDs

Women who regret having abortions will brief TDs and senators today ahead of Oireachtas hearings on the Government’s planned abortion legislation.

The women, with the group Women Hurt, will meet with Oireachtas members in Leinster House today but have been refused a request to appear at the Oireachtas health committee hearings, which begin on Friday.

Fine Gael TD Billy Timmins last night confirmed he had arranged the briefing for his colleagues. He said women from the group were disappointed after being denied permission to appear before Oireachtas hearings in January.

Women Hurt describes itself as “a project initiated by women who regret their abortions and wish to share their stories”.

It was confirmed last night that they would not be appearing before the hearings on the Heads of the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Bill, sources revealed.

Committee chairman Jerry Buttimer said: “This is pre-legislative scrutiny at heads of bill stage which is a consultative process involving the committee examining written submissions along with hearing from invited expert witnesses from the medical, psychiatry and legal fields.

“It is important that the language we use is temperate and moderate and that we are respectful of different viewpoints.”