In 2019, with the Assembly still under suspension the British government launched a consultation on introducing elective abortion. In the Assembly’s absence Westminster enacted legislation on a free vote opposed mainly by the DUP.1 The context was less about Northern Ireland, more about an anti- Brexit majority moving enough business to keep Parliament open and avoid leaving the EU by default . But the measure passed by an impressive cross party majority in the name of equal rights throughout the UK. It enjoyed the more than tacit support of the NI Secretary Julian Smith.
A year later the resumed Assembly voted to oppose Westminster’s decision 46 – 40 but not entirely on neat communal lines The vote had no legal effect. But in practice it reflected a refusal to implement the regulations passed by the sovereign parliament in the absence of devolved authority.
Now another consultation is required for more funding to be made available to satisfy the demand.
This blatant stalling could go on for ever – by cross community consent. Once again, we see Sinn Fein in the North adopt a different position from the South, because it was reluctant straightforwardly to support a Westminster measure and chose to propose an essentially bogus tactical amendment And all those passionate unionists are opposing a legal Westminster Act. Total political perversity all round.
As the Belfast Telegraph has reported
Abortion services have been cut in over a third of local areas in Northern Ireland due to a lack of resources. It means that women living in 10 of Northern Ireland’s 26 local areas will not be able to access early abortion services locally, and will have to travel to another healthcare trust which is still providing the procedure.
Since April, trusts have been providing abortion services themselves through their own resources. Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International UK’s NI campaigns manager, said that the decision to suspend services was “a direct consequence of the sheer neglect and disastrous failings of the Department of Health”.
In a statement, the Northern Trust said that funding abortion services itself since April had been possible “due to the downturn of services in other areas” but added that it “does not currently have the resource to continue to provide the service.”
It said all healthcare trusts “will be discussing the current arrangements with the Department of Health in the coming days
More than 600 medical abortions have been carried out in Northern Ireland since new laws came into force earlier this year.
In total, 664 terminations have taken place since March 31, according to official figures.
The new regulations allow for terminations in any circumstance up to 12 weeks.
Up to 24 weeks, terminations are allowed where the risk of mental or physical injury to the expectant mother is greater than the risk of terminating the pregnancy.
The law also allows abortions in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, or when there is a risk of death or serious permanent injury to the mother if a termination is not carried out.
Why should abortion be any different from any other medical procedure?
The Executive has the brilliant excuse based on their own incompetence – the calamitous size of waiting lists, extended further by pressure from Covid cases.
And almost 120,000 people have been waiting for more than a year.
A total of 307,066 – or 80% – patients are waiting for their initial outpatient appointment and 242,864 have exceeded the government target of a nine week wait.
A total of 117,066 – or 40% have been waiting for more than 12 months.
Former BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London
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