SF backs abortions up to 12 weeks

Every woman on the island of Ireland must have access to “compassionate healthcare” Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald has said as the party adopted a new abortion policy.

Members at the party’s ard fheis in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on Saturday opted to back a motion put forward by Sinn Fein’s high council on the subject, with an MLA saying the vote had been “decisive”.

The party said its new policy keeps to the recommendations of an Irish parliamentary committee last December, which had concluded terminations should be allowed for the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy “with no restriction as to reason”.

Previously, the party position was that it to support it “where a woman’s life, health or mental health is at risk, and in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, and in the case of rape or sexual abuse”.

Some opposition to the policy change was expressed during the session.

Wexford councillor Oisin O’Connell said it placed the value of the unborn at “zero”.

But leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “Change is coming. There is nothing to fear in that change. Let me say this loud and clear – the North is next. No woman will be left behind.

“Every woman who calls this island home must have access to compassionate medical care at home.”

The motion, as set before Sinn Fein members said abortion should be allowed “without specific indication, for a limited gestational period”.

And whilst at the moment the Sinn Fein leadership backs the aforementioned 12 week limit, the precise wording of the motion gives the party’s high council the power to ultimately change what this “limited gestational period” should be.

There had been criticism before Saturday’s vote of the fact the motion had explicitly ruled out conscientious objection among MLAs and TDs.

It had stated that when it came to voting on the question of terminations “Sinn Fein members of a legislature shall act in line with the view of the ard chomhairle (high council)”.

Other parties frequently treat the issue of abortion as a matter of individual conscience.

Vice president Michelle O’Neill addressed this when she said on Saturday: “It is possible for individual members to have their own views on this issue, but it is also important that the party has a position, that people know what it is and as legislators that it is something that we vote for together.

“We must speak with one voice and implement the will of the people.”

Meanwhile Stormont MLA Megan Fearon said: “I think today’s result was very decisive, overwhelmingly we clearly said we support women, we are going to treat women with compassion.”

New legislation acting on the recent Irish referendum’s two-to-one result in favour of relaxing the Republic’s abortion law will be introduced in the new year, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. It is expected to make abortion freely available for up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy, and then in limited circumstances later.