Ireland Abortion: Protests Ahead Of Vote

Ireland is preparing to set in stone legislation which would confirm abortion is not illegal in cases where a woman's life is at risk.

Politicians will vote on the divisive legislation following a European court ruling that Ireland needlessly endangers the lives of pregnant women in life-threatening situations.

The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill would enshrine a woman's right to a termination if her life is at risk - including if she is suicidal.

Pro-choice campaigners hold a 24-hour protest in Dublin

Several members of the coalition Government are expected to rebel over the reforms but it is understood that passing the legislation is not in doubt.

Irish prime minister Enda Kenny said the vote could take place as late as midnight, but insisted he was willing to extend the debate further if necessary.

Protests by pro-life groups, hate mail, death threats and intimidation to politicians and campaigners have worsened already bitter disputes over the reforms in the predominantly Catholic country.

Savita Halappanavar died after she was refused an abortion in Ireland

On Tuesday night, Pro-life activists held a vigil and slept outside Leinster House where the vote will take place.

The abortion debate in Ireland has become heated following the death of Savita Halappanavar, an Indian woman who miscarried and died in an Irish hospital in 2012 after being denied an abortion.

She was 17 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to Galway University Hospital suffering from agonising pain and requesting an abortion.

Her husband, Praveen, said doctors refused to terminate the pregnancy after discovering there was a foetal heartbeat, saying his wife was told: "This is a Catholic country."

Previously, doctors acted under guidance from the Irish Medical Council and a Supreme Court ruling from 1992 which allowed abortion if there was a threat to the mother's life, including suicide.

But the 1992 ruling has yet to be officially preserved in legislation.

Parliament member Lucinda Creighton and husband Senator Paul Bradford

The case was taken by a 14-year-old rape victim who became pregnant and was refused permission to travel to have the pregnancy terminated.

Ireland has also been under pressure after a European Court of Human Rights ruling that a woman in remission with cancer was discriminated against because she was forced to travel overseas for a termination.

Pro-life protesters hold a vigil ahead of the vote

Choice campaigners have demanded action and claim Ireland only exports its problem with 4,000 women registering with an Irish address for an abortion in the UK every year.

The inclusion of the suicide clause has been the most contentious, with some claiming abortion in those circumstances could do more damage to a woman's mental health.

Following the vote, the bill will be considered by the Seanad - the upper house of parliament.

The Government expects the law to be enacted before the Irish parliament breaks for summer on July 18.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Ireland Abortion: Protests Ahead Of Vote

Dengan url

http://majutakgentarian.blogspot.com/2013/07/ireland-abortion-protests-ahead-of-vote.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Ireland Abortion: Protests Ahead Of Vote

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Ireland Abortion: Protests Ahead Of Vote

sebagai sumbernya