Choice in Northern Ireland

The Family Planning Association in Northern Ireland surveyed people last month regarding the controversial question of abortion. Close to two-thirds (62%) supported access to abortion in cases of rape or incest.

The fpa said this strong support for women’s right to choose was contrary to the myth that people in Northern Ireland did not want to see abortion available under any circumstances. The survey of 690 people aged 18 to 55 years was carried out last month and published this week in the run up to tomorrow’s vote on an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to extend the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland.

Dr Audrey Simpson, director of fpa in Northern Ireland said: “It is time that the Northern Ireland Assembly faced up to the realities of the situation that people in Northern Ireland support the right to choose. These statistics can not be ignored and show that MLAs [Members of the Legislative Assembly] have a responsibility to give women in Northern Ireland the choice to have an abortion.
“If the elected members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are not willing to listen to public opinion and give women in Northern Ireland the same human rights as women in the rest of the UK, then it is up to Westminster MPs to be the voice of Northern Irish women.”

More blogs on the limited choices that are available to women in Northern Ireland.

First posted at Birth Pangs.