Government publishes report from expert group on abortion law

on 27/11/2012 15:11:08

The Government has today published the report from the expert group the report from the expert group[/url] set up to advise the Cabinet on abortion law.

It will be debated in the Dáil before a decision is made on how best to provide legal certainty about when an abortion can take place to protect the life of a woman.

Publication of the report comes as the Government is called on to support abortion legislation, published by Independent TD Clare Daly.

A number of Fine Gael TDs have expressed concerns over measures in the Bill, which includes a measure to allow for abortion where there is a threat of suicide.

Clare Daly said that those TDs need to take their role as legislators seriously.

"I don't really mean to insult their opinion, but it's kind of irrelevant, because they are legislators and the Supreme Court has said we must legislate for X, which does take into account the grounds of suicide," she said.

"The expert group says we must provide for life-saving abortions where suicide is affected.

"So really the personal opinions of Fine Gael TDs shouldn't really come into it."