Irish Government 'on notice' after abortion ruling in North, say campaigners
The Irish Government has been put "on notice" that it is violating the human rights of women with its strict rules on abortion, campaigners have said today.
With a committee to advise on whether to relax the Republic’s laws which give a mother and the unborn child equal rights to life, Amnesty International claimed current legislation is more restrictive than in the North.
Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Irish section of the human rights group, said the Belfast High Court ruling is not just something for the Stormont Executive to act on.
“The Irish Government is now on notice that it too is violating the European Convention on Human Rights,” he said.
“It denies women and girls access to abortion in these cases.
“In fact, it doesn’t even allow access to abortion on health grounds as required under international human rights law, so its abortion law is more restrictive and abusive.”
In the Republic, the mother and unborn child have equal right to life under the eighth amendment to the Constitution.
There was slight reform to Ireland’s strict rules on termination of pregnancy when new laws came in to force in January 2014 to allow the procedure if there is a real and substantial risk to a mother’s life, including from suicide.
The regulations involve the pregnant woman being assessed by two medical professionals and to agree that a termination is the required course of action to protect the woman’s life.
The Labour Party, junior partners in the coalition Government, has insisted a referendum on reforming the abortion ban would be a precondition of returning to power with Fine Gael.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has committed to establishing a constitutional convention to examine the issue – a move which will defuse a potentially divisive debate about the issue in the run up to next year’s general election.
Cora Sherlock, deputy chair of the Pro Life Campaign in Ireland, said: “There is no right to abortion in international human rights law.
“I think it’s very sinister.
“What we would be expecting from the Irish Government is to stand up for every human being in Ireland, born and unborn, and reiterate there is no right to abortion.”
Linda Kavanagh, spokeswoman with the Abortion Rights Campaign which seeks to liberalise abortion in Ireland by repeal of the eighth amendment to the Constitution, said: “Even the NI ruling does not go far enough.
“It might mean tens of women will access the healthcare they need but there would still be thousands of others travelling.”
