Irish abortion bill ‘will not change law’

Ministers have unveiled a long-awaited bill setting out when life-saving abortions can be performed.

Enda Kenny, the Prime Minister, said his government was not seeking a change in the country’s abortion law, but only “a clarification of rights within existing law”.

Catholic opponents of the bill have rejected a provision that grants abortions to women who threaten to kill themselves if they are denied one. The bill specifies that three doctors – the woman’s obstetrician and two psychologists – must determine that the suicide risk is substantial. If they judge otherwise, the woman would be able to appeal to a panel of three other doctors.