Taoiseach rules out changes to abortion laws

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has firmly ruled out any change to abortion laws before the next general election, despite expressing sympathy for women whose pregnancies involve fatal foetal abnormalities.

In the wake of controversy over how an immigrant rape victim, known as Ms Y, was refused a termination and then reluctantly agreed to a C-section, Mr Kenny insisted he would not move on the wider issue of reproductive rights.

Speaking as the Fine Gael parliamentary party gathered for its annual “think-in” in Cork, Mr Kenny said, “It wont be revisited during the life time of this government.

“The HSE has commissioned a report in respect of the Y case, which is very sensitive.

“We have had exhaustive discussions before the decision in respect of legislation for the Supreme Court interpretation of the people’s decision in the constitution and that was to give equal status to the life of the mother and the unborn, but also to give legal clarity to the circumstances in which a termination might be provided, and that is where the life of the mother might be threatened, as distinct from the health, of the mother,” Mr Kenny told Newstalk.

While expressing sympathy for women with fatal foetal abnormality pregnancies, the Taoiseach said no legislative action would be taken to address the situation.

“I fully understand the sensitivity of the cases that are presented with fatal foetal abnormalities and that kind of area, these are all sensitive and personal, but what people put into our constitution was interpreted by the Supreme Court and was not legislated for for over 20 years and the Government set out to give legal clarity.”

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said the issue of fatal foetal abnormality terminations needed to be looked at, but the Government did not have a mandate to go further than the Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Bill.

“We have a mandate to deal with the issue as we have dealt with it, and to bring forward the legislation. And I think we have to make sure that that is appropriately monitored, and that is a commitment that has been made.

“I do think that, at some stage, we do need to revisit the whole area particularly of a woman who is carrying a foetus that will not be able to survive after birth,” she said. “We don’t have a mandate to do that under the current government, but I do think it’s something we will have to visit in the future.”