Taoiseach defends abortion referendum

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has defended the wording of the abortion referendum, describing it as "a very good set of proposals".

Speaking in Dublin today, Mr Ahern said the referendum "gives absolute certainty to the medical profession for the rights of women, that they give best medical practice and the medical practice protects their lives".

He continued: "It also rows back on the Supreme Court judgement on the suicide issue, because we’ve seen what happened in other countries which went down that road. You go into a position where you have liberal abortion in the country. I don’t want to see that happen."

The Taoiseach’s comments come after the Adelaide Hospital Society warned that the proposed abortion referendum poses "major threats to women’s healthcare".

In a letter to the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste and the Health Minister, the charitable organisation condemned the referendum for reinforcing the stigmatisation of women who are forced to travel to England to avail of abortions.

It also says the proposed constitutional amendment fails to provide for terminations in cases where the pregnancy results from incest or rape. The society’s letter concludes: "The proposed legislation is profoundly discriminatory against women and couples who are prevented from making informed choices; against the socially deprived, who cannot afford to travel to a more compassionate jurisdiction; against individual citizens and minorities who may hold contrasting, but in their opinion, valid views."