A landmark legal action to test the law on abortion in Northern Ireland will be heard next March, a judge ruled yesterday.
Two days have been set aside for the High Court case, brought by the Family Planning Association. Five anti-abortion groups are opposing the FPA's application for a judicial review of current abortion law and practice.
The FPA has stressed the case is not about extending the 1967 Abortion Act in Britain to Northern Ireland and insists it merely wants the court to order the Department of Health to publish guidelines on the provision of terminations under existing law.
Mr Justice Kerr told lawyers for the FPA and the Department of Health that when the hearing started on March 21st they would each have half a day to present their arguments.
The following day the five anti-abortion groups will each be allocated an hour to make their submissions. The groups are the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), Care, Life, Precious Life and the Northern Catholic Bishops.
Mr John Smeaton, SPUC's national director, said afterwards: "We are delighted that the pro-life voice will be heard in this very important case.
"In our submissions we are looking very closely at the motive of the Family Planning Association in bringing this case. It is quite clear that the government cannot do anything but state the position which is that the law in Northern Ireland is very protective of unborn children.
"The FPA wants to change that and make abortion easily available in Northern Ireland."
Mr Justice Kerr announced that the anti-abortion groups would have to pay their legal costs. He said the FPA's costs would be determined by the outcome.