Northern Ireland abortion figures recently released by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey show that 1,343 Northern Irish women had abortions in England and Wales in 2007. This shows an increase of 48 on the 2006 figures. (See Belfast Telegraph article Friday Jan. 2nd 2009)
The figures also show that there were 99 so called “legal abortions” in Northern Ireland which prompted pro-life organisations to seek disclosure of the circumstances behind the terminations carried out in Northern Ireland hospitals. Whilst it is perfectly legitimate for hospitals to carry out life saving treatment for women this should be done without targeting the unborn. In such circumstances if the embryo dies as a consequence of the treatment this is a secondary effect which cannot be avoided. There is grave concern however that some of the 99 abortions recorded may have been carried out for eugenic reasons.
Pro-abortion MPs who last year tabled a Parliamentary motion at Westminster to extend the 1967 abortion act to Northern Ireland claim that the newly released figures show a need for abortion to be legal in Northern Ireland. The parliamentary motion was defeated but the pro-abortion MP’s and abortion providers continue to press the Government and Health Department to change its pro-life laws.
