Abortion in Northern Ireland

[ArabellaScott]

Situation is still more complicated than it ought to be, after the law change.

'During the continuing stand-off at Stormont, women are still having to travel to England for terminations, sometimes in the most traumatic of circumstances'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-56485487

I’m making my surprised face that the DUP has found a way to frustrate this. I’m not sure of the implications of the NI secretary stepping in, but if he doesn’t, surely both Westminster and Stormont are at risk of a challenge on grounds of continuing to violate the human rights of women?

I can't begin to understand the legal and political issues involved, Sophocles! Just shite for NI women, though.

Its not just DUP unfortunately. The Health Minister is UUP and has not commissioned any services. Some trusts are offering

I hoped things would improve after the departure of the last attorney general. The new one seems cut from the same cloth.

The DUP are persistently abusing the petition of concen and I'm so thankful it's being legislated over their heads.

Will it not likely cause issues, going over their heads? Or will they be secretly grateful that someone else will take the flak for it?

It does not surprise me that the DUP are using every option available to frustrate this. The only option seems to me for Westminster to take back control on this particular issue, even if for a time limited period.

I think that looks like what's happening, Cuthbert.

Well, it didn't the first time when it was voted through to legalise it.

In terms of actual consequences, I'm not honestly sure how they could be worse than the current situation. The DUP are claiming they want the Irish sea "border" removed and yet they don't want to actually implement the laws of the UK.

They won't risk direct rule with Stormont falling apart again I reckon.

The DUP? ... Cultural Protestants not Catholics?

Blimey. I had not realised that and had assumed it was the oldfashioned Catholic contraception/ Humanae Vitae / go forth and be fruitful sentiment persisting.

No @AdHominemNonSequitur, traditionally the Catholic/nationalist community is much more socially liberal than the Protestant/unionist community (very broad brush obviously).

Hmm, I'd say it's about equal at the extremes. Unfortunately we had a fair few funerals to attend when DS2 was a baby and the repeal the 8th vote was happening. The Catholic churches I was at all had pro life pamphlets and it was mentioned by the priest and bloke who was helping him while I walked in with him that abortion shouldn't be allowed

You can keep up to date with developments via Alliance for Choice www.alliance4choice.com/news but ... I am sorry to say they talk about pregnant people. Judging by IWD events looks like Ireland has been captured.

Also Abortion Rights (Ireland) www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/ - also very pregnant people .....

Pregnant people, eh? Well, good luck to them with that.

It'll be a cinch to sort this all out now men are in danger of getting pregnant, surely.

Oh yeah, I commented on one of their FB posts supporting self ID and asked politely how that worked when women in prison couldn't get an abortion if they were forced to share with males and they deleted my post...

I think that's pretty much a summary of their priorities.