The proposed abortion referendum seeks to make the woman's right to life less equal than that of the unborn, according to the Irish Family Planning Association. Calling for a No vote, the IFPA chief executive, Mr Tony O'Brien, yesterday said it was opposed to the referendum proposals which excluded the ground which allowed the termination of pregnancy to save the life of the mother where there was a risk of suicide.
"Effectively . . . the key objective of the Government's proposals is to overturn the ruling by the Supreme Court in both the X and C cases. This is a highly retrograde move," Mr O'Brien said.
By making a decision to exclude suicide from the legislation, the Government was saying that consultant obstetricians may lawfully terminate a pregnancy, after implantation but before viability, on the basis of advice from other doctors.
"However, they may not do so if that advice comes from a psychiatrist. This suggests that psychiatrists' considered opinions are less valuable than those of other doctors when it comes to dealing with suicidal women who are pregnant," he said.