IRELAND MOVES AHEAD TO CHANGE ABORTION LAW

Dublin, May 29: The Irish government gave the green light on Tuesday for new abortion laws to be drawn up following a historic referendum that overturned a constitutional ban in the predominantly Catholic country.

The government hopes the new laws will be in place by the end of the year, following Friday’s landslide referendum vote.

“Received government approval today to draft the new law following the decision of the people,” health minister Simon Harris tweeted.

“This is one of three important pieces of work we need to undertake — the other two being clinical guidelines and regulation of medicines. Work under way! Let’s get it done.”

He hopes the bill can be published within the coming weeks, after which it will be put to the lower and upper houses of parliament.

Ireland voted by 66 per cent in favour of repealing a ban on abortions after an emotional campaign, which saw women of all ages share stories about having to travel across the Irish Sea to England for the procedure.

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, a former doctor who used to oppose terminations, called the referendum a “quiet revolution”.

The government’s proposals would see abortion allowed on demand in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and between 12 and 24 weeks in cases of fatal foetal abnormality or a risk of serious harm to the mother’s health.