Hospital abortion row - 210 million reasons to uphold law

Despite the Government’s recent overwhelming majority on legislation allowing abortion in limited circumstances in this country, a potential obstacle remains in its path and threatens a looming clash with one voluntary hospital out of the seven selected among 25 hospitals nationwide as appropriate to perform abortions.

The hospital in question, the Mater, has strong links with the Catholic Church. In the war of words now erupting, a first volley has been fired by a priest, Fr Kevin Doran, who sits on the board of the Mater and claims it “cannot comply” with the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act. Presumably, this view was uttered in a personal capacity. Whatever the explanation, it was clearly a blatant attempt to pre-empt the outcome of an impending board meeting there.

In a rapidly moving encounter, a broadside has been returned by a spokesperson for Health Minister James Reilly, reminding both Fr Doran and the Mater that hospitals which refuse on grounds of religious ethos to carry out abortions to save women’s lives could face the withdrawal of state funding.