Legislation for killing of babies, says lawyer

Proposed changes to Ireland’s abortion regime legislate for the killing of babies, it has been claimed.

During a day of clashing views over whether the threat of suicide should be included as grounds for abortion, barrister Paul Brady said doing so creates a statutory basis to allow the “direct and intentional termination of an unborn child’s life”.

“Is this legislating for the killing of babies?” said Mr Brady. “I would say that certainly what it is doing is it is moving the test for real and substantial risk by moving that to the grounds of suicidality away from physical issues.