President’s decision - We may rue failure to refer bill

The President’s decision to sign the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill into law may in time be seen as a miscalculation. He could have referred the bill to the Supreme Court and secured a definitive verdict.

Michael D Higgins consulted the Council of State, for some four hours, but the ultimate decision on whether the sign the bill into law or refer it to the Supreme Court was his alone.

If the court found it was unconstitutional, then the Oireachtas would either have to forget the whole thing, or go back to the drawing board and draft a new bill. That might be regrettable but hardly as regrettable as it will be if we have a whole series of challenges going through the courts in coming years.