Ireland's abortion law may be named after Savita Halappanavar
May 27, 2018 17:51
Campaigners for abortion reform in Ireland have said they will support a move to have a new law named after Savita Halappanavar, who died after being denied a termination in 2012.
Halappanavars father has called for the legislation that will follow the historic referendum result to be referred to as Savitas law. We have one last request, that the new law, that it is called Savitas law. It should be named for her, Andanappa Yalagi told the Irish Times.
Together for Yes, an umbrella group representing pro-repeal organisations, said it would support such a move. It also called on the government to start immediate work on legislation. The people have spoken, said its co-chair Orla OConnor.
Simon Harris, the Irish health minister, will seek cabinet approval for draft legislation, permitting abortion on request up to the 12th week of pregnancy and in limited circumstances up to the 23rd week. The prime minister, Leo Varadkar, has said he hopes a new law will be enacted by the end of the year.
A mural to Halappanavar, who died aged 31 and who became a symbol of the campaign to overturn Irelands ban on abortion in all but the strictest circumstances, became a shrine over the weekend, with flowers, candles and messages left at the site.
Halappanavar, who worked as a dentist, was admitted to University Hospital Galway on 21 October 2012 when she was 17 weeks pregnant with her first child. Medical staff concluded that a miscarriage was inevitable but did not intervene despite requests from Halappanavar and her husband for an abortion as a foetal heartbeat could be detected.
Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
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