The Supreme Court is likely to decide later this week whether the At a special sitting late on Friday night a High Court judge decided to put a stay on a Children's Court decision allowing her to travel. This followed an application by counsel for the girl's parents, who sought time to appeal the decision, which had been made by the Children's Court after an eight-hour sitting. That appeal is expected to be heard by the High Court tomorrow, and it is considered likely that whatever decision the High Court makes will be appealed immediately to the Supreme Court by one or other party involved.
The girl, who is now 13 weeks pregnant, is still in the care of the Eastern Health Board, which has had her placed with a foster family since last September
Meanwhile, Youth Defence has confirmed that it had told the parents of the 13-year-old that it would attempt to raise money to provide long-term financial help for the family as well as immediate pre- and post-natal care for the girl.
However, the organisation's chairwoman, Ms Niamh Nic Mhathuna, has rejected suggestions that this offer was used to persuade the girl's father to agree that she should continue with her pregnancy rather than have an abortion. "It would have been unethical for Youth Defence to offer money as a solution to a crisis pregnancy . . . to put a price on the life of a child", she said. "The suggestion that there was a bribe is despicable, and it casts aspersions on the character of the parents, as if they would sell their daughter's pregnancy for money."
The subject of money had been raised with the parents only last week after Youth Defence representatives had discussed the abortion issue with them, and the girl's father had decided that he wanted his daughter to continue with the pregnancy, she said. Youth Defence established a fund, called the Hope Fund, last Friday to raise money for the girl and her family, she said. It was hoped in the first instance to use it to pay professional obstetrical costs. It was also hoped to provide long-term financial support for the girl's family, she said. "Her parents and their family are living in dire poverty . . . In the long term the family circumstances will affect the child, and the fund will try to alleviate those long-term circumstances."
Reports that Youth Defence had offered to arrange to buy a house for the family were "completely untrue", she said. She declined to comment on reports that Youth Defence was paying for the new legal team retained last week by the girl's parents.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, said yesterday that he found the "ongoing saga, particularly over the last 10 to 15 years", concerning abortion "very embarrassing and quite unacceptable".
"One's heart goes out to the 13year-old and other young women who have found themselves in this particular predicament", he said. Asked whether the Government would address the issue he said: "It's certainly something the Government will address, but whether the Government can solve it is another question altogether."