MEPs in the European Parliament in Strasbourg have staged a protest in support of greater access to abortions for women in Ireland as part of a worldwide action day with demonstrations taking place across Ireland and at Irish embassies across the world including in London.
Lib Dem MEPs Rebecca Taylor, Catherine Bearder, and Sarah Ludford together with 52 MEPs from other political groups co-signed a letter to Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, in the wake of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar following the decision by consultants at Galway University Hospital in Ireland not to proceed with the termination of an unviable foetus.
In the letter, the MEPs called for immediate action to introduce legislation permitting abortion in cases where the mother’s life or health is endangered.
Rebecca Taylor, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber said,
“The tragic death of Savita Halappanavar is a wake up call for legislators in Ireland to stop dragging their feet and allow abortions in cases where women’s health and life is under threat through pregnancy complications.
“The Supreme Court in Ireland as well as the European Court of Human Rights made it crystal clear: women must be allowed to terminate a pregnancy when their life and health is in danger.”