Abortion issue must be dealt with, say campaigners

FINE GAEL and Labour must include an action plan for the introduction of lawful abortion in the next programme for government in order to comply with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, pro-choice campaigners have said.

Last December the court ruled that Ireland had failed to properly implement the constitutional right to abortion in the circumstances of the X case, where a woman’s life is at risk.

The State has six months from the judgment date to submit an action plan to the Council of Europe outlining actions it intends to take to implement the ruling.

The Irish Family Planning Association said yesterday that with four months to go to this deadline, the new government must prioritise the development of a comprehensive action plan to make abortion – in certain circumstances – legally accessible.

The Pro-life Campaign, however, has called on the next government to hold another referendum which would seek to protect the unborn and back that up with legislation.

Both of the potential coalition partners have differing stances on the issue. Fine Gael has pledged to establish an All-Party Oireachtas Committee to consider the ruling and draw up recommendations for either legislation or regulations for the medical profession.

Labour, on the other hand , said it favoured the speedy introduction of legislation for abortion where the life of the mother was at risk.

The association’s Niall Behan said yesterday that proposals to establish an all-party Oireachtas committee would be unlikely to satisfy the requirements of the European Court of Human Rights.

“The court has already criticised the Government for failing to act on recommendations from the very lengthy public and parliamentary consultative processes that has already taken place on this issue,” Mr Behan said.

“This includes a constitutional review in 1996, a Green Paper in 1999 and an All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution in 2000.

“In addition we’ve had a Supreme Court judgment, two referenda and a finding against the State at the European Court of Human Rights.”

Mr Behan said successive governments’ failure to take decisive action regarding abortion in Ireland had resulted in ongoing violations of women’s human rights.

However, an alliance of up to 30 community groups has called on the party leaders not to legislate for abortion.