CHALLENGING NORTHERN IRELAND’S LAW ON ABORTION

WHY? Inequalities Inequalities Chill factor Chill factor

Schedule of Legal Developments

13 June June 2001 Application for Judicial Review heard and leave granted 12 September September 2001 Northern Bishops permitted to intervene 3 October October 2001 SPUC; Precious Life; and Care & Life applied for leave to intervene

17 October October 2001 SPUC etc given permission to intervene on a written basis 5 December December 2001 Final pre-hearing 21 & 22 March & 22 March 2002 Judicial Review heard 7 July July 2003 Judgement presented

28 July July 2003 Appeal papers lodged 10 October October 2003 SPUC lodged an application to intervene 20 December December 2003 Northern Bishops lodged an application to intervene

23 January January 2004 Notions of Motion heard in Belfast Court of Appeal by Lord Justices McCollum, Nicholson and Higgins 24 to 26 May to 26 May 2004 Appeal heard 26 November November 2004 Court ruled in favour of fpa

OUTCOMES Clarification of the law Clarification of the law Quicker access to abortion services in England Quicker access to abortion services in England Some support from MLAs Some support from MLAs Support from general public Support from general public Balance media cover Balance media cover Increase public awareness Increase public awareness

GUIDANCE Investigation of provision of services Investigation of provision of services Consultation document launched Jan 2007 Consultation document launched Jan 2007 Assembly debates Assembly debates Publication of document 4 th October 2008 Publication of document 4 th October 2008

NI Assembly February 1984… “Adolf Hitler had more charity in him than the abortionists because the abortionists would seek to put to death a child with no defects.”

NI Assembly October 2007…..... the facts remain that 600 unborn children across the United Kingdom’s hospitals are being slaughtered daily During the course of this one-and-a-half-hour debate, 70 to 80 unborn children will have been murdered through abortion. The methods of abortion are often horrific, with up to 80% carried out by suction curettage, which virtually pulls the baby apart limb by limb. As we look back, we cringe at the number of Jews who were gassed or murdered by Hitler, and rightly so, yet in today’s so-called civilised society, we witnessed 200,000 abortions across the UK last year, which is 600 a week and 50 to 60 children an hour.

WAY FORWARD Three year Advocacy Project  Pro choice DVD  Cross Party group  Lobbying  Market research survey  Pro choice Doctors Forum  All Ireland conference for Health Professionals