The Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Seán Brady, has said he was surprised at legal arguments put forward in a recent court case that a foetus might not be protected by law if there were indications that its life after birth would be short.
Archbishop Brady, speaking to reporters in Maynooth last night, said he did not know how "movement had taken place" from the stance of protecting the human foetus. He said that there should be "informed discussion" about matters such as the rights of human embryos - which, the archbishop insisted, were issues of such seriousness.
Archbishop Brady said that the voice of the Catholic Church should be heard calmly.
The dignity of the human person was at stake, he said.