Abortion threat in Northern Ireland

Current status: lobbying by NI residents, please, as described below.

From CFNews: Pro-life activists in Northern Ireland are warning against a 'backdoor' effort to legalize abortion there. The pro-life organization Precious Life has charged that draft guidelines on 'termination of pregnancy,' produced by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), go well beyond the scope of a court mandate calling for a review of abortion regulations. The DHSSPS document was drawn up without any input from pro-life physicians and activists, Precious Life charges. The guidelines, the group adds, include no measures designed to cut down the number of abortions or to encourage women to seek alternatives. The DHSSPS guidelines are open to public comment during an 8-week consultation period. After that time the department would produce leaflets, based on the policy guidelines, explaining how abortions can be obtained. Precious Life has urged residents of Northern Ireland to make their concerns known to health minister Paul Goggins before the consultation period ends on March 16. [CWNews]