Family Planning Association challenges NI abortion laws

The Family Planning Association of Northern Ireland (fpaNI) has been granted leave to provide more evidence in a judicial review of Northern Ireland's abortion laws.

The association had successfully asked for the judicial review to be heard in the High Court on the grounds that it believes the existing law on abortion in Northern Ireland is confusing.

In a landmark ruling on 13 June, fpaNI won the right to the first full judicial review of the medical practices relating to abortions and the provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland.

Abortions in Northern Ireland are still strictly limited, and can only go ahead if it can be proved that the pregnancy would damage the physical or mental health of the woman.

In court on Wednesday October 3, Lord Justice Kerr gave the association leave to submit more evidence in the case on 17 October.

Audrey Simpson from the fpaNI said: “Today is just another step. At this stage we are just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Essentially what we would like to come out of this judicial review would be a result ensuring clarification of the Department of Health’s guidelines surrounding abortions in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Justice Kerr also gave a group of Catholic Bishops opposing the action until Wednesday 10 October to submit their evidence in the case, after which the judicial review will be heard in court.

The judge will then also rule on whether three other anti-abortion groups could submit evidence in the case.

The association has stressed the court case is not about extending the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. This act legalised the medical practice in England and Wales, but it was never introduced in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile in the Irish Republic, the government has proposed a new referendum on abortion. Abortion is illegal in the Irish Republic except in special circumstances where the life of the mother is threatened. (AMcE)