‘Draft’ abortion report expected by December 15

The Oireachtas abortion committee will complete a “draft” report on its findings by December 15 before releasing the final document to the Dáil on December 20.

The plan is outlined in a “road map” document on the committee’s next steps which was sent to members last night — despite serious concerns the committee may split with pro-life members expected to publish a rival minority report.

According to the two-page document, seen by the Irish Examiner, the committee will meet in private with its senior counsel next Wednesday to discuss the final phase of witness meetings on matters linked but not central to the abortion law debate.

It will then ask committee members to submit any amendments by December 8 to the Citizens’ Assembly’s recommendations on when a woman should be allowed to have an abortion.

On December 13, the committee will meet in private to discuss the Citizens’ Assembly’s recommendations and to vote on each finding.

The road map document says this vote should be on whether each recommendation is individually “a valid ground for the termination of a pregnancy” or not.

All of the votes — which will decide the committee’s exact recommendations to the Oireachtas — will take place on December 13, before a “draft” report is drawn up by December 15.

The committee is then expected to release its report to the Oireachtas on December 20, the final day of the Dáil term.