Abortion law proposals a ‘quantum leap’ for Irish

PROPOSED changes to the Republic’s abortion laws mark a quantum leap from being one of the most restrictive regimes in the world when it comes to the termination of pregnancy, the country’s health minister has said.

Simon Harris told the Dail that the Irish government is proposing to permit terminations up to 12 weeks of pregnancy without specific indication.

He is also proposing to introduce a time period which would be required to elapse between the assessment by a medical practitioner and an abortion being carried out.

A referendum on the Republic’s laws is expected to take place at the end of May.

Mr Harris made the comments after the bill to hold a referendum on abortion was introduced in the Irish parliament.

Currently, terminations are only allowed in the Republic when the life of the mother is at risk, including from suicide.

Campaigners are seeking to liberalise the regime to allow for unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.

Mr Harris said: “Contrary to some assertions, such provision would not make Ireland an outlier internationally.

“But I accept they represent a quantum leap from our position on the spectrum today where we have one of the most restrictive regimes in relation to termination and I think are pegged somewhere in and around where Saudi Arabia is on the issue.”

Labour’s Joan Burton said she hoped the debate would be respectful and produce a good outcome for the people of Ireland.