Bacik Welcomes Commencement Order for Protection of Life During pregnancy Act 2013
20 December 2013
STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK
Labour Party Seanad leader and Spokesperson on Justice
Friday 20th December 2013
BACIK WELCOMES COMMENCEMENT ORDER FOR PROTECTION OF LIFE DURING PREGNANCY ACT 2013
Senator Ivana Bacik today welcomed the announcement that the Commencement Order and Regulations for the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 were signed yesterday, 19 December, with a commencement date of 1 January 2014, and that the HSE has been informed of the commencement date.
Welcoming the announcement,Senator Ivana Bacik said:
“For many years, successive governments have failed to take any action to address the need for reform of our law on abortion. In December 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in the ABC case that we must provide an ‘effective and accessible’ procedure for the carrying out of abortion where a pregnancy poses a threat to a woman’s life. The Act passed earlier this year will give greater clarity in our law for women and doctors. I am very glad that it will now be in force on 1st January 2014 – showing that we have finally faced up to our responsibilities as legislators on this pressing issue. More than 21 years after the X case, and just over a year after the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar, we have at last acted to protect women whose lives are threatened by the continuance of their pregnancy.”
ENDS