Abortion Northern Ireland: Catholic church latest to query why only abortion funding is ringfenced in beleaguered NHS

In 2020 the NI Assembly also voted by 46 to 40 to reject liberalised abortion legislation that was imposed on NI by Westminster.

However The UK government has since pressed ahead to impose the legislation, announcing ring fenced funding for abortion services here last week, and issuing legal instructions to the Department of Health to roll out the facilities, on Friday.

Writing in this paper last week economist Esmond Birnie queried why in 2022-23 "the only part of Northern Ireland public spending which is ringfenced - ie guaranteed sufficient funding - is the provision of abortion services?"

And yesterday Rev Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the Presbyterian General Assembly, queried why there is "no ‘ring-fencing’ of resources for the real priorities of those who work in and are served by our NHS".

But Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin has now also raised the same query.

He said: "On Friday last, at a time when people are struggling to feed their children and heat their homes, and as our overstretched health workers are barely coping under the pressure of financial constraints, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, instructed the Department of Health to fast track the commissioning and funding of 'abortion services'."

But Goretti Horgan, pro-choice campaigner and senior lecturer in social policy at Ulster University, responded that “neither church has issued any statements opposing the unjust two-child policy” which means that child-related benefits are now restricted for more than two children per family.

She added that research from England shows this has led to thousands of families ending pregnancies they might have continued.

"Nor has either church lobbied for free school meals for all children – a simple measure that could take some pressure off many familiesm,” she added.

An NIO spokesperson said: "The Secretary of State is under a statutory duty under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation Etc) Act 2019 in respect to reforming access to abortion services in Northern Ireland.

"This is a specific and unique duty which arose from Parliament voting to protect the rights of women and girls. UKG has only stepped in where necessary to ensure the implementation of the specific recommendations of the 2018 report of the UN CEDAW Committee.

“The Government has given the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Department of Health every opportunity to bring forward measures to introduce the full provision of abortion services. Regretfully, they have failed to deliver for women and girls in Northern Ireland.

“The UK Government will continue to ensure that funding for abortion services is made available. Ultimately, it remains the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive to fund abortion services in Northern Ireland."