Abortion laws under pressure from Council of Europe

IRELAND has come under pressure from the Council of Europe to stop criminalising women who have abortions and allow them access to the procedure.

An Irish woman can be jailed for life if she has an abortion in Ireland, but, if she can afford to travel, she can legally get one abroad, the council was told.

A report before the human rights body, of which the Government is a member, was supported by a range of Irish groups that hope it will help change the current law that forbids abortion unless the woman’s life is in danger.