Stormont Bill against abortions in cases of non-fatal disabilities passes second stage

The Bill has been referred to the Health Committee for scrutiny. Picture: Paul Faith/PA

A Bill aimed at outlawing abortions being carried out in cases of non-fatal disabilities has passed its second stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill was passed by 48 votes to 12, with 27 MLAs abstaining.

Earlier Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill indicated her party would abstain.

She said the focus should be on commissioning the services which should already be in place.

The Bill has been referred to the Health Committee for scrutiny.

It comes after Westminster passed legislation liberalising the region’s abortion laws while the Stormont Assembly was collapsed.

The debate on Monday, which lasted into the evening, saw some sharp exchanges on an issue which divides the parties.

DUP leader Arlene Foster claimed that aborting babies with Down’s syndrome was “entering the realm of eugenics”.

DUP leader Arlene Foster (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mrs Foster’s unionist party is opposed to terminations and has proposed a new law to prevent them being carried out in cases of non-fatal disabilities.

Ms O’Neill said the DUP was attempting to roll back legislation liberalising the country’s abortion laws.

Mrs Foster told the Stormont Assembly: “No one’s life is less valuable and this standard should apply to lives inside and outside the womb.

“We are entering into the realm of eugenics, and you can deny that all you like but we are on a very slippery slope.

“Everyone should be very careful about that, because it is Down’s syndrome and non-fatal disability today – what is it in 10 years’ time that we are deciding is appropriate for abortion?”

Sinn Fein will this week ask Stormont ministers to commission abortion services two years after legislation enabling the procedure was passed at Westminster while devolution was suspended.

Ms O’Neill said: “This is the thin end of the wedge and attempting to reopen a debate that has already been had around women’s healthcare provision.

“I am here to give a voice to those women who find themselves in incredibly difficult and very vulnerable circumstances.”

Ms O’Neill addressed the assembly in her role as a senior member of her party rather than deputy First Minister in a devolved five-party powersharing administration which is divided on the issue.

She said the DUP and Ulster Unionist Health Minister Robin Swann were “failing” women by refusing to commission services legislated for long ago.

Ms O’Neill added: “Women are entitled to have compassionate healthcare.

“It is a human right to have compassionate healthcare and should be the focus of what this assembly is concerned about.”

Northern Ireland’s previously restrictive laws were changed by MPs at Westminster in 2019 at a time when the Stormont administration was collapsed.

The laws allow abortion in all circumstances up to 12 weeks.

Terminations are permitted up to 24 weeks when there is a risk to the woman’s physical or mental health.

There is no time limit in cases of fatal foetal abnormality or when there has been a diagnosis of a serious physical or mental impairment that would cause a serious disability.

Abortions after 24 weeks in those circumstances are extremely rare.