A controversial European Parliament report which includes a call for legalised abortion in certain circumstances divided Irish MEPs yesterday. The four female MEPs voted in favour of the abortion recommendation while the 11 male MEPs voted against.

The report on women's health, which was passed by the parliament yesterday, said member-states should legalise induced abortion in certain circumstances, at least in cases of enforced pregnancy and rape, and where the life of the woman is endangered.

Mr John Cushnahan ( Fine Gael) said he could not support the reference to abortion. In any case, he said, the EU had `absolutely no competence in the area of abortion. "It cannot interfere in the policy of individual member-states in this sensitive area, nor would it wish to do so." He said he had voted in accordance with his own conscience. He supported a recommendation on various measures member-states may take to reduce abortions through programmes of sex education, the promotion of unrestricted availability of contraceptives and counselling, aimed at especially at younger people.

The report, by a Finnish MEP, Mrs Heidi Hautala, said the guiding principle was that the final decision for abortion must be taken by the woman herself. Voluntary abortions were carried out in a medically safe way and psychological and social support was provided.

The Green MEP, Ms Nuala Ahern, who voted for the recommendation on abortion, along with Ms Patricia McKenna, Ms Mary Banotti and Ms Bernie Malone, said her concern was to protect women's lives in an emergency pregnancy. The abortion issue, she said, should be tackled in the Dail. "We have a constitutional amendment, and we have to respect that, but we are not dealing with the problem. Women want to be sure that when they are in a particularly dreadful situation, where they are at risk, they should be confident that they will get all the medical treatment they require. If that means a termination of pregnancy then so be it."

Mr Brian Crowley (Fianna Fail) said he had voted against the report because of the inclusion of abortion. Ireland's position on abortion, he added, was a matter for the Irish people. The Fine Gael MEP, Mr Alan Gillis, said he had voted against the recommendation, except for a section of it which addressed the situation where the health or life of the woman was endangered. "I voted the way I felt the Irish people would want."

Mr Pat Cox MEP said his group, the Liberal Democrats, had taken a decision to vote against because issues this sensitive should be decided closest to the people whose values and judgment were affected.

"We were not approaching this in a moral way but rather as a matter to do with subsidiarity." Ms Heidi Hautala, the author of the report, told The Irish Times the wording used was "relatively mild" and had been a compromise between the liberal and conservative members within the EU. She fully understood that there were different points of view and religious convictions.

"But from my experience if you combine relatively liberal legislation, based on the judgment of the woman involved, with efficient consultation and health education, you may reduce abortion figures."

The Pro-Life Campaign in a statement last night said it was "tragic" that MEPs had deliberately refused to acknowledge the physical and emotional harm and heartbreak endured by women following abortion. It was dishonest to argue that induced abortion was medically necessary when all the evidence pointed to the contrary, it said.