Savita remembered: Ireland backs historic bill to legalise abortion
July 03, 2013 13:00
Lawmakers in Ireland, a pre-dominantly Catholic country, have overwhelmingly backed a bill that would pave the way for legalising abortion in life-threatening cases, after widespread outrage over the death of an Indian dentist following a miscarriage last year.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill passed its first hurdle after a 138 to 24 vote in favour, clearing up decades of confusion over the right of women to have abortions in extreme circumstances.
The bill will now come up for final passage next week. The debate around the European nation's stringent anti-abortion laws was reignited following the death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar, who died from septicaemia following a miscarriage in October last year. Her inquest in April heard how she was repeatedly denied a potentially life-saving abortion.
Also read: Ireland's abortion law finally under scrutiny
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill passed its first hurdle after a 138 to 24 vote in favour, clearing up decades of confusion over the right of women to have abortions in extreme circumstances.
The bill will now come up for final passage next week. The debate around the European nation's stringent anti-abortion laws was reignited following the death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar, who died from septicaemia following a miscarriage in October last year. Her inquest in April heard how she was repeatedly denied a potentially life-saving abortion.
Also read: Ireland's abortion law finally under scrutiny
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