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| Ireland's parliament approves 'life-saving' abortion | Ireland's parliament approves 'life-saving' abortion |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Lawmakers in the Republic of Ireland have voted to legalise abortion under certain conditions for the first time. | Lawmakers in the Republic of Ireland have voted to legalise abortion under certain conditions for the first time. |
| The move, approved by a 127-31 vote in the lower house (Dáil), would authorise a termination when doctors deem that a woman is at risk of taking her life. It needs upper house endorsement, too. | |
| The vote follows the case of an Indian woman who died in hospital after she was refused an abortion. | The vote follows the case of an Indian woman who died in hospital after she was refused an abortion. |
| The debate revealed deep splits in the predominantly Catholic country. | |
| Opponents say the bill could lead to more widespread abortion. | Opponents say the bill could lead to more widespread abortion. |
| Anti-abortion campaigners say that the bill will allow the intentional killing of the unborn for the first time in the Republic of Ireland. | Anti-abortion campaigners say that the bill will allow the intentional killing of the unborn for the first time in the Republic of Ireland. |
| For them, it is not just a religious but a human rights issue as they believe that in any pregnancy the mother and foetus have equal rights to life. | For them, it is not just a religious but a human rights issue as they believe that in any pregnancy the mother and foetus have equal rights to life. |
| Others argue the bill is too limited as it does not allow for terminations in cases of rape or incest, or when there is a foetal abnormality. | Others argue the bill is too limited as it does not allow for terminations in cases of rape or incest, or when there is a foetal abnormality. |
| Nor does it allow for termination when the foetus cannot survive outside the womb. | Nor does it allow for termination when the foetus cannot survive outside the womb. |
| Uncertainty | Uncertainty |
| Members of parliament (TDs) backed the proposal shortly after midnight, after two hotly debated sessions. | |
| Those who support access to abortion say the bill ignores the fact that, on average, 11 women leave the country every day for an abortion in Britain. | |
| Since a Supreme Court ruling in 1992, known as the X case, abortion has been constitutionally available when a woman's life, as distinct from her health, is at risk from the continued pregnancy. | Since a Supreme Court ruling in 1992, known as the X case, abortion has been constitutionally available when a woman's life, as distinct from her health, is at risk from the continued pregnancy. |
| X was a suicidal 14-year-old schoolgirl who had been raped by a neighbour and was initially prevented from leaving the country for an abortion in Britain. | X was a suicidal 14-year-old schoolgirl who had been raped by a neighbour and was initially prevented from leaving the country for an abortion in Britain. |
| Since then, the credible threat of suicide is, constitutionally, regarded as grounds for a termination. | Since then, the credible threat of suicide is, constitutionally, regarded as grounds for a termination. |
| But in the intervening years, until now, no government has introduced legislation to give doctors legal certainty on when an abortion can be carried out. | But in the intervening years, until now, no government has introduced legislation to give doctors legal certainty on when an abortion can be carried out. |
| Failures | Failures |
| And that uncertainty provided part of the context for the Savita Halappanavar case. | And that uncertainty provided part of the context for the Savita Halappanavar case. |
| She was a 31-year-old Indian dentist who was admitted to hospital in Galway in October 2012 while miscarrying. | She was a 31-year-old Indian dentist who was admitted to hospital in Galway in October 2012 while miscarrying. |
| She died a week later from septicaemia. | She died a week later from septicaemia. |
| Her request for an abortion was turned down. | Her request for an abortion was turned down. |
| Her inquest heard that she could not get a termination at the time because her life was not in danger but, by the time her life was at risk, an abortion would have been too late to save her. | Her inquest heard that she could not get a termination at the time because her life was not in danger but, by the time her life was at risk, an abortion would have been too late to save her. |
| The Fine Gael-Labour coalition government says its proposed legislation will bring the law and constitution into line. | The Fine Gael-Labour coalition government says its proposed legislation will bring the law and constitution into line. |
| There have been consequences for TDs who did not support the changes proposed. | There have been consequences for TDs who did not support the changes proposed. |
| Fine Gael Junior Minister of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, voted against the government on the amendment. As a result, she was automatically expelled from the party. | Fine Gael Junior Minister of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, voted against the government on the amendment. As a result, she was automatically expelled from the party. |
| She said she felt "deeply and strongly" that aspects of the bill were based on "flawed logic and absolutely zero medical evidence". | She said she felt "deeply and strongly" that aspects of the bill were based on "flawed logic and absolutely zero medical evidence". |
| Last week, four other Fine Gael TDs, were removed from the party after they voted against the bill's first reading in the Dáil. | Last week, four other Fine Gael TDs, were removed from the party after they voted against the bill's first reading in the Dáil. |
| Sinn Féin TD Peadar Toibín also chose to vote against the amendment, which was supported by his party. | Sinn Féin TD Peadar Toibín also chose to vote against the amendment, which was supported by his party. |
| In a statement, Sinn Féin said all of its TDs had been "mandated" to vote for the legislation. | In a statement, Sinn Féin said all of its TDs had been "mandated" to vote for the legislation. |
| "The decision this evening by Peadar Toibín TD to vote against the Sinn Féin position is a serious breach of party rules," said Sinn Féin's party whip in the Dáil, Aengus Ó Snodaigh. | "The decision this evening by Peadar Toibín TD to vote against the Sinn Féin position is a serious breach of party rules," said Sinn Féin's party whip in the Dáil, Aengus Ó Snodaigh. |
| "As a consequence Peadar Toibín has been suspended from Sinn Féin for six months with immediate effect." | "As a consequence Peadar Toibín has been suspended from Sinn Féin for six months with immediate effect." |