Doctors 'contradictory' over abortion poll

Confusion over next week’s referendum on abortion law intensified today when the heads of Dublin’s three main maternity hospitals backed the Government’s controversial proposal for the poll - and then said terminations should be permitted in certain circumstances.

The country votes on the issue next Wednesday, with the Government seeking a law change that would guarantee a constitutional ban on abortion, except in cases where the life of a mother is considered to be at risk.

The terms of the plebiscite have split most political parties - as well as both the pro-life anti-abortion and pro-choice lobbies.

Much of the opposition is based on a section of the proposal that rules out the threat of suicide on the part of a mother-to-be as a reason for termination, which is the current legal position.

The masters of the three hospitals, the National Maternity, the Rotunda and the Coombe, said at a news conference that they were in favour of the referendum reform bid.

But, when pressed, the trio, Dr Michael Geary, Dr Sean Daly and Dr Declan Keane, all said they believed a pregnant woman carrying a foetus which could not survive life outside the womb should be entitled to an abortion.

They also stressed that their views were personal and did not represent those of their hospitals.

But their comments generated claims by opposition parties that they were contradictory.

Fine Gael frontbencher Alan Shatter said the doctors’ call for a yes vote in the referendum was incompatible with their opinions on abortion and highlighted the confusion over the Government plan, even among medical experts.

He maintained that the proposed amendment would result in any woman who had a pregnancy of the type cited by the doctors terminated in Ireland, would be liable to a possible 12-month prison sentence, together with any doctor, nurse or other person who assisted them.

Labour’s Liz McManus said the hospital chiefs’ statements demonstrated that abortion was not a black and white issue.

And the Doctors for Choice organisation, which is campaigning for a no vote, said the position of the masters was inconsistent.

But Health Minister Micheal Martin said the yes vote recommendation by the doctors provide a comprehensive rebuttal to people ‘‘who are busy trying to scare women into voting no’’.

He added: ‘‘As things stand, it is only the Government which is willing to be open and honest with the people.’’

:: Recent opinion polls have indicated a small majority in favour of the Government’s proposed constitutional amendment, but with a big undecided factor.