The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill currently going through parliament aims to get the Executive functioning again and requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, to report on progress.
However, amendments have been added to the bill by MPs in Westminster that require Northern Ireland to provide access to legal abortion services and to legalise same-sex marriage, if the assembly is not back up and running by October 21st.
Both are currently illegal, with abortion being allowed when the mother’s life is at serious risk. The changes would mean abortion would be allowed up to 28 weeks; it is currently 24 weeks in the rest of the UK.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has expressed its “deep disappointment and dismay” at these amendments and has called for “meaningful and detailed” consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny in Northern Ireland before any regulations are introduced.
In addition, the group ‘Don’t Screen Us out’, who campaign for the lives of babies with Down’s syndrome have also written an open letter to the current Prime Minister, asking Theresa May not to allow the changes, citing that currently 90% of pregnancies with a Down’s syndrome diagnosis in England and Wales are aborted and that they do not want to see disability-selective abortion introduced in Northern Ireland.
Rt Rev Dr William Henry,…
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