Taxpayers 'could fund embryo research'

Irish MEP Rosemary ‘Dana’ Scallon has accused the Government of acting unconstitutionally in relation to a proposal to allow the EU fund research on human embryos.

Ms Scallon, who opposes the proposal, claimed the Government was breaching the Irish Constitution by not ordering Irish MEPs to vote against EU funding for embryonic stem cell research.

The European Parliament is due to decide tomorrow whether to approve the controversial proposal.

Stem cell research is not allowed in Ireland, but Irish taxpayers’ money could be used to fund such research in other countries if the European Parliament approves such funding tomorrow.