Northern Ireland

Michelle O'Neill: Reform of abortion laws ruled out in wake of political collapse

Health minister Michelle O'Neill says strict abortion laws will not now be considered
Health minister Michelle O'Neill says strict abortion laws will not now be considered Health minister Michelle O'Neill says strict abortion laws will not now be considered

PROPOSALS on reforming Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws will not be considered because of the collapse of powersharing, health minister Michelle O'Neill has said.

Women cannot seek a termination where there is a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality. Instead some fly to Britain for the procedure.

The assembly is likely to be dissolved on Monday and snap elections called so ministers will not be able to consider any change to the law.

Ms O'Neill said: "I indicated previously that I would work with the justice minister to bring forward proposals in the new year for consideration by the [ministerial] executive, taking account of the findings of the fatal foetal abnormality working group.

"The current situation is that there is no longer an executive in place to consider those proposals, as a result of the fallout over the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scandal."

The expert group was established by Stormont last year after a High Court judge ruled an almost outright ban on abortion breached human rights laws.

Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said: "The apparent collapse of the executive means that there is now no end in sight to the trauma inflicted on women with fatal foetal diagnoses of being forced to travel to England to seek lawful abortion.

"Whoever is in ministerial office after the election must address this disgraceful situation and also that of other women left with a choice between boarding a plane or facing prosecution simply for seeking healthcare available on the NHS in every other part of the UK."

Unlike other parts of Britain, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland where abortions are illegal except in very limited circumstances where the life or mental health of the mother is in danger.

Anyone who performs an illegal termination could be jailed for life.

Northern Ireland has a vocal pro-life lobby and Stormont has previously rejected a bid to relax abortion laws.

Former DUP health minister Jim Wells welcomed the hiatus.

"The minister is saying that she cannot take this issue forward because there is currently no executive to refer it to.

"If the executive returns then the issue may come back on to the table as it were.

"As a pro-life MLA I believe that there is no need whatsoever for any change in the current law on abortion in Northern Ireland."

The legal position was challenged in court last summer.

Submissions were made on behalf of Sarah Ewart, (24), who went public about travelling to England for an abortion in 2013 after being told her first child had a severe brain malformation and no chance of survival.

Alliance MLA David Ford's bill on reforming the law around fatal foetal abnormalities is also likely to be a casualty of the dissolution.

"It is very disappointing for women who are continuing to suffer in Northern Ireland," he said.