‘Sit during Halloween to help expedite abortion law’

HEALTH Minister Simon Harris has asked the Oireachtas health committee to sit during the Halloween break to help pass abortion legislation by the new year.

Mr Harris wrote to Dr Michael Harty, the committee’s chair, in recent days asking him to consult with his members to see if they would be willing to meet during the Oireachtas Halloween break.

The Dáil has held a number of debates on the proposed legislation in recent weeks and the TDs are set to vote on the second stage on Tuesday. It will then be referred to the health committee, where amendments can be tabled, before coming back to the Dáil and Seanad for its final stages.

It is expected a large number of amendments will be discussed.

Minister Harris has set a timeline of having the services introduced here by January and is aiming to have the legislation passed by the end of November. He is now asking the TDs and Senators on the committee to meet as soon as possible to discuss these amendments. It’s understood the committee will consider this request this week.

Health Minister Simon Harris told RTÉ he believes that abortions will begin in Ireland ‘in the new year’.

He previously told the Irish Daily Mail that he had hoped that Irish doctors would be able to refer women whose babies have fatal foetal abnormalities to the UK for terminations from November.

A spokeswoman for the Minister said recently: ‘It is the Minister’s belief that legislation can be passed by the end of November and he is firmly committed to [Irish abortion] services being operational in January 2019.’