Creighton sick of being ‘bullied’ by FG leaders

European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has proposed far-reaching changes to the abortion legislation in a move that signals she will oppose the bill during a final Dáil vote next week.

Sources close to Ms Creighton said last night that she and party colleagues were sick of being “bullied” by the party leadership over the bill and the TD was readying herself for the opposition benches.

The senior Fine Gael TD tabled amendments yesterday in which she proposed removing the threat of suicide as a grounds for a termination and involving an advocate for the unborn for abortions.

Her amendments were submitted as Taoiseach Enda Kenny warned that the legislation for abortion in limited circumstances was not about one person but about the women of Ireland.

Ms Creighton is among a number of pro-life Fine Gael TDs who are opposed to sections of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill and risk being kicked out of the parliamentary party if they vote no to the bill. Fine Gael TDs Billy Timmins, Terence Flanagan, Brian Walsh, and Peter Mathews opposed the bill last week and have moved to the opposition benches as Independents.

Ms Creighton, in her submission to the Oireachtas Bills office yesterday, proposed radical changes. These include removing most of the section allowing for terminations where a woman is suicidal. She instead wants women to be entitled to a “care pathway”, which includes suicide prevention therapy, psychiatric assessment, and hospital care.

The Dublin South East TD also wants an advocate appointed by the Attorney General to represent the unborn in cases where abortions are being considered. The advocate must be requested by doctors of the Attorney General, even if a pregnant woman does not ask for such an intervention. She wants a period set by the health minister where a baby is considered “viable” and terminations disallowed after this time has elapsed.

Ms Creighton also says the proposed maximum jail sentence of 14 years for women having terminations outside the proposed regime be reduced to five years.

Coalition sources last night insisted none of these changes would be added to the bill. This puts Ms Creighton on a collision course with the Coalition’s bill when TDs hold a final vote next Wednesday.