New Bill attempts to change NI abortion law
The DUP has proposed a new law to prevent abortions being carried out in cases of “non-fatal disabilities.”
The Westminster Parliament forced abortion on Northern Ireland through Section 9 of the ‘NI Executive Formation Act’, which removed the sections of the Offences Against the Person Act that had previously protected unborn babies and their mothers. The Westminster legislation came into effect in Northern Ireland on 31st March last year. The ‘Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020’ now permits abortions right up to the moment of birth.
A private-members Bill introduced by Paul Givan MLA seeks to amend the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 by removing the section that permits abortion for disabilities such as Down's syndrome.
Mr Givan's Bill represents the first legislative attempt since devolution was restored in Northern Ireland to amend the abortion laws introduced by the UK government.
Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth said, “If this Bill succeeds in protecting unborn babies with disabilities, then the next step for pro-life politicians is to ensure that all unborn babies are protected in Northern Ireland.
“This Bill to protect disabled babies will undoubtedly meet with fierce opposition from pro-abortion Assembly Members. An example of the hypocrisy of pro-abortion MLAs was highlighted when Mr Givan said his Bill was about removing discrimination against people with disabilities. But pro-abortion MLA Paula Bradshaw of the Alliance Party had the audacity to claim his Bill was ‘horrendously disrespectful’ yet she supports the horrendous act of killing an unborn baby in the womb right up to the moment of birth.
Sinn Féin - who support the abortion law enforced on the North of Ireland by the British Parliament in Westminster - said, "...the DUP bill is going nowhere." A spokesperson for Sinn Féin called on the Health Minister to ensure there were more babies killed by abortion in Northern Ireland, saying it their "priority" across the island.
Bernadette Smyth concluded, ““The people of Northern Ireland have not accepted Westminster’s abortion law and we continue to say loud and clear - abortion is NOT IN OUR NAME!
"We continue our REPEAL SECTION 9 Campaign. Our aim is to completely repeal Westminster’s evil abortion law and restore personhood and legal protection for every unborn child in Northern Ireland. Each child is a member of the human family, by virtue of his or her humanity, and must be protected in law, policy and practice."