NWCI welcomes Minister for Health’s comments on abortion where the life and health of a woman is at risk

Published: Friday, January 29, 2016

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) welcomes the comments made by the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, yesterday that abortion should be permitted if there is significant risk to the health of a woman, not just in cases of risk to life and of fatal foetal abnormality.

Orla O Connor, Director of NWCI said,
“NWCI welcomes Leo Varadkar’s comments, in particular his view that it should be a mechanism where decisions are a matter for the woman and her doctor, not the law. NWCI has consistently called for access to abortion where the life and health of the woman is at risk and it is significant that the Minister for Health now shares this view.”

She continued
“This week NWCI welcomed the publication of the National Maternity Strategy but warned that the reform our maternity services will only work if the 8th Amendment is repealed. The Amendment prevents doctors and midwives from providing proper care to women and significantly limits women’s autonomy in pregnancy, something which runs contrary to the vision of the new Maternity Strategy. The time has come for the Government to commit to the repeal of the 8th amendment in the next Programme for Government.”

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