North keeping tabs on Oireachtas moves

We write to highlight the grave matter of how legislation in the Republic may affect the fight for the unborn child in Northern Ireland.

We, the All-Party Pro-life Group at Stormont, wish to point out how current legislative proposals on abortion may impact upon our social and policy debates on the same matter here in Northern Ireland.

According to guidelines from our department of health, abortion in Northern Ireland is legal where “it is necessary to preserve the life of the woman or there is a risk of real and serious adverse effect on her physical or mental health, which is either long term or permanent”.

We have long known that abortion on any kind of mental health ground has no basis in psychiatric evidence. We are extremely concerned about developments in the Oireachtas.

We anticipate pro-choice campaigners citing the Republic of Ireland as a jurisdiction that recognises abortion as a treatment for suicidal ideation.

This will serve to undermine our pro-life endeavours and the respect Northern Irish society has towards the unborn child and as such we have written to An Taoiseach to share our concern about a whipped vote on the matter in the coming weeks.

Pat Ramsey MLA [Chair]

Jim Wells MLA [Vice Chair]

Alban Maginness MLA

Paul Givan MLA

Karen McKevitt MLA

Robin Swann MLA

Kieran McCarthy MLA

Jim Allister MLA

Strand Road

Derry