Minister of State Kathleen Lynch has said that had draft legislation on abortion come in to being before the Savita Halappanavar case, there would have been a different approach.

The Minister at the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health has also said that those voting on this draft legislation will have to make up their own minds.

She has also appealed for calm, rational and reasonable debate on the issue, which has been described as a very divisive one.

Speaking to Newstalk's Jonathan Healy, the Minister said she is still hopeful the legislation will pass through before the summer recess.

Meanwhile the Taoiseach has said the draft abortion legislation will give certainty and clarity to both pregnant women and medical professionals. The Heads of the new Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill was published late last night after being approved following 2 lengthy Cabinet meetings yesterday.

The proposals allow for terminations to be carried out if there is a risk to the life of a mother including the threat of suicide. The draft legislation proposes that in the case of a medical emergency, one doctor could grant a termination while if the woman is suffering from an illness two doctors would be required.

If there is a suicide risk, 3 doctors (an obstetrician or gynaecologist and two psychiatrists) would be needed to form a unanimous opinion.

Appealing a refusal

If its refused, there would be an appeals process under which another similar panel would have to also all agree before an abortion would be given. The Heads of the Bill also states that terminations could only be carried out in health care facilities that provide obstetric and mental health services.

The 33-page document will now be examined at the Oireachtas Health Committee over the coming weeks before being presented to the Dail and Seanad.

The draft legislation is now set to dominate the weekly meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party this evening.

Implications of legislation

Women who are deemed to have undergone an illegal abortion could face criminal prosecution under draft legislation published by the government last night.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is insisting the measures would not result in a change of the law but rather a clarification of existing rights.

He says he wants the on-going debate on the draft legislation to be carried out in a considered and non divisive fashion.

 

Read the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Bill here

Various lobby groups both for and against abortion have also been giving their reactions to this draft legislation.

The Pro-Life Movement claims the Bill is not restrictive enough and that it would only take 3 pro-choice doctors to sign off on every request for an abortion on grounds of suicide.

While the Abortion Rights Campaign says it is outrageous that a pregnant woman who is feeling suicidal would be forced to be assessed by three doctors adding that the opinion of one doctor should be sufficient.

Spokesperson for the group Sarah Malone says this proposal will make the legislation null and void.

"I can't imagine any women who wouldn't rather go to England than face 3 doctors, and then possibly another 3 doctors on appeal. That makes the legislation null and redundant, basically" she said.

"If it exists, but women won't access it because it'll be traumatic for them, then the only women who will access it are women who can't afford to travel or migrant women who are unable to travel" he added.