Changes may not appease Fine Gael backbenchers

The need to dot Is and cross Ts was the reason given for the delay in publishing the text of the Government’s proposed abortion legislation until the early hours of the morning.

But a small number of unanticipated changes to the contentious Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill have emerged after all that I-dotting and T-crossing, although the drafters still managed to erroneously omit the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin from the list of institutions where limited abortion can take place.

While the Bill still provides that no medical practitioner will be forced to carry out an abortion if they have a conscientious objection, it no longer includes a provision allowing an institution to refuse to provide a termination on the grounds of conscientious objection.

Medical professionals with a “conscientious objection” will be required to make arrangements for the “transfer of care of the pregnant woman” so she can avail of the procedure from another practitioner.

Whose concerns were these changes designed to allay?

The downcast expressions on the faces of the group of Fine Gael backbenchers, who gathered in the Dáil canteen last night after a briefing from Minister for Health James Reilly, indicated they were not remotely appeased.

On the opposite end of the ideological spectrum, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) has this morning interpreted the changes as having strengthened the ability of an individual’s conscience to put a woman’s life in danger.

“No individual’s conscience should be allowed to put a woman’s life in danger. We believe that there should be an explicit duty to treat in a medical emergency regardless of any conscientious objection.”

Another change from the draft heads is that GPs will only be consulted "with the pregnant woman's agreement", which will be welcomed by the Labour Party but less so by Fine Gael sceptics.

The final draft of the Bill provides a penalty of up to 14-years in prison for the offence of destroying unborn human life, which may mean the penalty is less likely to apply to the pregnant woman than the text of the draft heads.

Minister for Health James Reilly said this morning's Irish Times Ipsos MRBI opinion poll provided the Government with useful information on the current thinking among the Irish people. Another senior Minister, digesting the poll results last night, noted that the Government was behind the people on the issue.

This is by no means the end of the matter.

Minister of State for Primary Care Alex White, who thrashed out the details of the Bill with Dr Reilly and officials, has already said he would support the possibility of allowing for abortions in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, which he said could not be considered under this legislation.

Will the legislation reduce the number of Irish women going to Britain and elsewhere for abortion services? Government sources have indicated they expect this legislation will be utilized only by the very young and those in care.