Baroness Nuala O'Loan has denounced the Welsh Government's decision to offer women from Northern Ireland free NHS abortions
Former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan has denounced the Welsh Government's decision to offer women from Northern Ireland free NHS abortions after it emerged that over 98% of respondents to a public consultation did not agree with the decision.
It has been released that out of a total of 802 responses to the Welsh Government’s proposal, only 14 were positive about the proposal with 788 (98.26%) opposed. Therefore, the Welsh Government have completely disrespected and disregarded devolution, democracy and public opinion.
Baroness Nuala O'Loan said: "As a member of the community in Northern Ireland I am appalled the Welsh Government put out a quick press release on Friday saying they are going to provide free abortions to women resident in Northern Ireland if they travel to Wales, without acknowledging that they had conducted a public consultation on this highly controversial proposal, in response to which 98.3% of respondents said 'don't do it' to just 1.7% who said 'proceed'."
She went on to say, "To make matters much worse, the 98.3% of respondents embrace a significant number of women from Northern Ireland, those who will be impacted by the provision and whose views therefore matter the most. As someone also from a devolved jurisdiction, I am shocked that the Welsh Government has behaved in this way.” The hypocrisy is so blatant from the devolved government in Wales undermining and attacking the devolved government in Northern Ireland.
Baroness O’Loan concluded, "I now call on the Welsh Government to urgently review its handling of this consultation and the decision it announced on Friday."
The Welsh Government should stop interfering in our affairs in Northern Ireland. Abortion is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland – for our elected representatives at Stormont to discuss. Although Stormont is not up and running at this moment in time – we cannot pick and choose devolution. Northern Ireland has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the whole world, much lower than the rest of the UK, including Wales. Our province protects and safeguards women and their preborn children.