Creighton proposes highly restrictive abortion amendments

Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton has formally proposed highly restrictive amendments to the abortion legislation.

Ms Creighton, who is a barrister, has proposed a “care pathway” for women presenting as suicidal involving the formulation of a “suicide prevention algorithm” by a psychiatrist.

If a woman is “still expressing suicidal ideation” after various assessments are carried out, she should be entitled to focused therapy in her home including “ dialectical behaviour therapy”, according to Ms Creighton.

She also called for an advocate for the preservation of the life of the unborn to be nominated by the Attorney General, and for the proposed prison term for those who trangress the Bill to be reduced to five from 14 years.

Minister for Health Dr James Reilly is also proposing a series of more modest amendments.

These will mainly involve inserting language already contained in the Bill to various sections in order to make more explicit “the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable”.

Attorney General Maire Whelan, Minister of State for Primary Care Alex White and Dr Reilly worked closely today to formulate the amendments. The deadline for tabling amendments is noon on Monday, and the Bill will return to the Dáil for debate on Wednesday - with the final vote scheduled for 10pm that night.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny today confirmed Dr Reilly and Mr White had finalised "clarifying" amendments. "I understand that they have put together a number of matters that clarify for everybody what exactly is involved here," Mr Kenny said.

“ So the Bill goes before the House, the vote will be next week and, as I say, this is not about any one individual - this is about the women of our country, all of them.”