A Roman Catholic Archbishop has urged the Stormont Assembly to overturn Northern Ireland’s highly permissive abortion law.
The new regulations go far beyond the law in the rest of the UK, with abortions allowed for any reason up to twelve weeks.
The regime came into force last month despite huge resistance from the public.
Imposed
Ireland’s Archbishop Eamon Martin said that NI politicians needed to urgently review the measures.
He said: “We urge you to take steps to formulate new regulations that will reflect more fully the will of a significant majority of the people in this jurisdiction to protect the lives of mothers and their unborn children.”
He added that the law was “imposed without the consent of the people of Northern Ireland” and that he would do all in his power to “save the lives of unborn children” and “protect mothers”.
’Outrageous’
Politicians in Northern Ireland have accused Westminster of ‘riding roughshod’ over the will of the Province.
In an Assembly debate, Paul Givan highlighted that 79 per cent of those who responded to a Government consultation opposed any change in the law.
Paul Frew said Westminster and the Northern Ireland Office had made a “mockery” of democracy.
And Jim Allister QC urged the Assembly to overturn the “outrageous” law and “give a voice to the unborn”.
Also see:
Govt consults on permissive abortion law in Northern Ireland