District Court refuses 'Miss D' permission to travel

The District Court has refused to give 'Miss D' permission to travel to the UK for an abortion.

The High Court has heard that during a special sitting on Saturday, the HSE applied for a direction as to whether it was appropriate for the 17-year-old to travel.

The judge said that granting the order would amount to a failure to protect the rights of the unborn and would therefore be unlawful and improper.

The HSE is now bringing a judicial review action challenging that order, stating the judge misconstrued the law and that she should be allowed to travel.

The court has heard that the decision was considerably influenced by the C Case which involved a 13-year-old victim of rape, who was allowed to travel because it was likely she would take her own life if she continued with the pregnancy.

Miss D is now more than 17 weeks pregnant with a child which has a fatal brain condition and will not live for more than three days after birth.

The case is continuing at the High Court.