THE NORTH of Ireland’s ban on abortion will stay in place, a court has ruled.
The Court of Appeal stated that those living in the North of Ireland who travel to England for an abortion should not be entitled to receive it for free on the NHS as they are not English residents.
The ruling means that the North of Ireland will continue to be the only part of Britain that outlaws the termination of pregnancies except in special circumstances.
The case was heard in the Court of Appeal after a teenager and her mother based in the North of Ireland decided to pursue legal action against the Health Department.
The young woman, now aged 18, travelled to Manchester for an abortion at the age of 15 which cost £600.
The pair argued that the issue of abortion in the North of Ireland should be addressed by Britain's Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
But the court dismissed their appeal yesterday (July 22).
The North of Ireland, like the Republic, allows abortions in cases where the mother’s life or health is in danger.
Despite the 1967 Abortion Act being adopted in England, Scotland and Wales, its criteria do not pertain to the North of Ireland.
This means many women seeking abortions must travel to Britain in order to have the procedure performed.
The teenager and her mother complained that the situation breached their right to private and family life, which is guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.
But the Court of Appeal ruled against them, saying that it was a matter decided by the North of Ireland’s devolved government and not an issue that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt should “remedy”.
The ruling comes just weeks after Amnesty International made calls for Ireland to hold a referendum on abortion.
See More: Abortion, Featured, Northern Ireland
