All-party backing sought for ‘X Case’ Dáil motion by Sinn Féin this week

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

'Women deserve to know the medical profession has the protection of the law to act appropriately in terrible circumstances.'

IT’S NOT CLEAR if Labour Party TDs will answer the appeal from Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald TD to show all-party support for Sinn Féin's Dáil motion this week calling for long-overdue legislation for the ‘X Case’, which has been ignored for more than 20 years, the Dublin Central TD said.

The motion is due to be heard on Tuesday and a vote taken on Wednesday.

Mary Lou made the call on Saturday as more than 10,000 people (some estimate up to 20,000) marched through Dublin city centre (pictured right) to the Dáil, Government Buildings and the Attorney General’s office after the death of Savita Halappanavar (31) following a miscarriage at University Hospital Galway last month.

Members of the Indian community held a ceremony at the hospital on Saturday.

Other vigils were held across Ireland. A thousand people gathered in Galway and more in Cork, Limerick, Ennis, Clonakility, Letterkenny, Kilkenny, Sligo and Carlow. A vigil was also held at the Irish Embassy in London.

Mary Lou McDonald said:

“There are various enquiries into this tragedy and we have to wait for their outcome to know the full story of what happened to Savita.

“What we know now, however, is that there is a need for long-overdue legislation on the termination of pregnancy where a woman's life is in danger. Women in their reproductive years deserve to know the medical profession has the protection of the law to act appropriately in those terrible circumstances.

“It is time to act now.”

The Motion

– Extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Savita Halappanavar and recognises that news of her death in such tragic and traumatic circumstances has caused distress to people throughout the country and beyond.

– Resolves to await the outcome of the ongoing inquiries into all aspects of this tragedy.

– Acknowledges that the Oireachtas must legislate to give effect to the 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court (the ‘X Case’).

– Further acknowledges that the absence of the required legislation denies women protection and the right to obtain a termination in life-threatening circumstances. It also creates an ambiguous legal situation for clinicians in those same circumstances.

– Regrets that successive governments and Ministers for Health have failed to legislate in this regard.

– Immediately publish the report of the expert group.

– Immediately introduce legislation to give effect to the 1992 judgement of the Supreme Court in the ‘X Case’, to protect pregnant women where their lives are in real danger and to give legal certainty to medical professionals.