Irish State’s record on abuse slammed by UN

The UN human rights committee has asked the Government why it refuses to accept any responsibility for the years of abuse and neglect suffered by Irish women and children and why it is so reticent to investigate them fully.

It also warns that doctors are unlikely to provide even the limited abortion to be permitted to save the life of a mother under the current guidelines.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and a number of civil servants defended the Government’s stance on the issues and made it clear that little was likely to change. However, Ms Fitzgerald did describe the situation of the handful of survivors of symphysiotomy as “dreadful”, acknowledging it as a legitimate human rights issue.