Protests planned in Dublin and Galway

Demonstrations are to take place in Dublin and Galway tomorrow in protest at the State’s treatment of a suicidal, immigrant woman denied an abortion after becoming pregnant through rape.

Groups such as Choice Ireland, AIMS Ireland, Rally for Choice, and the Abortions Rights Campaign will lead demonstrations at the Spire on O’Connell Street in Dublin at 6pm. A simultaneous gathering will take place in Galway’s Eyre Square, led by Galway Pro-Choice Group and students from the Choice Society at NUI Galway.

Choice Ireland spokes-woman Stephanie Lord said: “We are calling on people to take to the streets to show the Government that denying women basic human rights is unacceptable.”

The group is calling for a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment to the Constitution, rescind the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, and leave the path clear for the legal introduction of regulated, but readily available, abortion.

“This will not be the last case where a woman seeking an abortion to save her life makes the headlines while this legislation remains on the statute books,” said Ms Lord.

Orlaigh Reidy, of Galway Pro-Choice, said: “This case further highlights the dangerous nature of the ambiguities and unworkable procedures of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. This act was meant to prevent the X-Case from ever happening again. In fact, it has given rise to equally disturbing, if not worse, treatment.”

Action for Choice accused the Government of “political cowardice”.

“The politicians who are determined to keep their heads in the sand... are directly responsible for the barbaric treatment of this woman,” said spokeswoman Sinead Kennedy.

Abortion Rights Campaign spokeswoman Cathleen Doherty said the case was “a chilling indictment of a legal system and health system that disregards women’s decisions, needs and bodily autonomy”.

However, anti-abortion groups accused pro-choice campaigners and Labour TDs of exploiting the case to push for more abortion. Pro Life Campaign deputy chairwoman Cora Sherlock said: “It is obscene the way they are using this case to whip up support for their agenda.”

Clare Molloy of Youth Defence said: “It has been bizarre to see the reaction of abortion supporters to this sad case on Twitter and other forums.

“Their repeated refrain is to say the great pity here is that the baby — a real person now in a neonatal intensive-care unit — was not terminated. Their lack of compassion is breathtaking.”