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Belfast Appeal Court Orders Health Department to Draw up "Guidelines" for Abortion

BELFAST, October 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Belfast Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a 'family planning' organization that has been demanding abortion in Northern Ireland since 2001 in court challenges. Under current laws abortion is legal in Northern Ireland but with more restrictions than in England. Last year 76 legal abortions were committed in Northern Ireland and about 1500 women travel annually to England for abortions.

On Friday October 8th, the court ordered the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Security and Public Safety to draw up guidelines for abortions in Northern Ireland. The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), a part of International Planned Parenthood Federation, has complained that even though it is legal, abortion remains "difficult to obtain" because of "moral views of individual doctors," and opposition by public officials. The Northern Ireland representative of the UK's Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), Liam Gibson, responded to the accusation of obstruction by saying, 'it's called democracy."

SPUC has been an intervenor in the case since it began and has called on the Health Department of Northern Ireland to ensure no illegal abortions are committed and that disabled children are not targeted. Gibson said, "The FPA will continue to attack Northern Ireland's legal protection for unborn children. Some FPA supporters have publicly admitted being involved in the illegal abortion of children because they were disabled. The Health Minister must make it clear that disabled children have the same rights and protection in Northern Ireland as every other child."

"The Department of Health's legal team told the Court in May that guidelines on abortion have already been drafted. Those guidelines must end the fatal discrimination against disabled children," said Mr Gibson.

Medi-Lexicon news coverage:
http://www.pharma-lexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=14664

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