The all-party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution has heard the views of groups, individuals, and the various churches on the options to deal with the abortion issue outlined in the Government's Green Paper. The options are:
1. An absolute constitutional ban on abortion. Advocates feel direct abortion is never necessary to save the mother's life.
2. Amendment of the constitutional provisions to restrict the application of the X case. This would meet the X case test, but it excludes the risk of suicide.
3. Retention of the status quo. Further cases, which may arise, would be decided on an individual basis by the courts.
4. Retention of the constitutional status quo, with legislative restatement of the prohibition on abortion. This would provide for a general criminal prohibition on abortion.
5. Legislation to regulate abortion in circumstances defined in the X case. This approach would implement the X case decision by means of legislation.
6. Reversion to the pre-1983 position, thus deleting Article 40.3.3, which was interpreted in Attorney General versus X as permitting abortion if there is a real and substantial risk to the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother, including a risk of suicide.
The committee, which is chaired by Mr Brian Lenihan TD (FF), comprises Mr Brendan Daly TD (FF), Mr Thomas Enright TD (FG), Mr Seamus Kirk TD (FF), Mr Derek McDowell TD (Labour), Ms Marian McGennis TD (FF), Ms Liz McManus TD (Labour), Mr Jim O'Keefe TD (FG), Senator John Dardis (PD), Senator Denis O'Donovan (FF), Senator Fergus O'Dowd (FG) and Senator Kathleen O'Meara (Labour).