Choice Ireland

Choice Ireland have today expressed disappointment in the failure of the Fine Gael-Labour Party Programme for Government to include a promise to legislate for the ABC decision. The document says only that an "expert group" will be established to address the issue.

Commenting, spokesperson Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh said:

"It is disappointing that the Programme for Government contains no promise to legislate for the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights with regard to life-saving abortions. This was a campaign pledge in the Labour manifesto.

"The Programme for Government sets no timeframe for when the 'expert group' will be established and when its work will be completed, nor does it set out clear terms of reference. It says only that it will make 'recommendations to the Government on how this matter should be properly addressed'.

"We have already had several court decisions and two referenda to decide how the matter should be addressed. We do not need a talking shop to go over the same ground again.

"Choice Ireland call on the incoming government to set clear timeframes for the work of this group, and to make clear that its purpose is to decide how best to draw up the legislation needed to implement the X and ABC judgments. Any further evasion or long-fingering of the issue is simply unacceptable." ENDS