Abortion Legal at Sligo Regional Hospital From Today

The law permitting abortion under limited circumstances comes into force today. Sligo Regional Hospital is one of the countrys medical facilities that will from today be permitted to carry out terminations under certain criteria. An order commencing the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 from today was signed by Minister for Health James Reilly last month.

The Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Act provides for pregnancies to be terminated where there is a real and substantial risk to the mothers life - whether it be from a phyiscal illness or risk of suicide. In order for a termination to take place, two medical practitioners will have to examine a woman and jointly certify that the risk to her life can only be averted by carrying out the procedure.

Regulations also provide for the review of a decision to allow a termination and they set down the procedures for recording terminations and notifying them to the Minister for Health. The Bill was passed by the Dáil and Seanad in early July and signed by President Higgins later that month after he had convened a meeting of the Council of State to advise him.

Under the provisions, two medical experts must examine the mother - and certify that the risk to her life can only be averted by carrying out a termination.

The Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Act provides for pregnancies to be terminated where there is a real and substantial risk to the mothers life.