Doctors for
Choice welcomes the end of 21 year filibuster however
Criminalisation and Chill factor for Doctors remains in Bill.
“The
Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill is expected to pass later today
following an adjournment at 5am. Whilst women and doctors have been waiting
over 21 years for legislation on the The X Case judgement, this Bill does
little to help women or doctors.
This Bill
would most likely not have saved Savita Halappanavar. This Bill will not
provide women with choice in the case of a fatal fetal abnormality or a
pregnancy resulting from a criminal act- despite the overwhelming majority of
the population supporting choice in these limited circumstances. In addition,
an obstetrician will certify the mental health risk of women, though they are
not trained in this area, and an inquisition-style panel of up to 7 medical
practitioners will certify whether a woman can access an abortion.
Critically,
the criminalisation of doctors and women with a 14-year prison sentence, for
what is a standard healthcare procedure anywhere else in the world, will
heighten the ‘chill factor’ in Ireland.
This
passing of this Bill is but a pyrrhic victory. It is doubtful if the
legislation will meet the ‘accessible and effective’ test of the A, B and C V’s
Ireland case at the European Court of Human Rights. The Bill must be improved
in the Seanad. We must also campaign for a repeal of the 8th Amendment, which
has had such a toxic effect on women’s health.
We are
committed to campaigning to make this Bill a better Bill for our patients and
to repealing the 8th amendment’.
