Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Bill Published

The Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill has been published by the government following approval by the Cabinet.

Several significant changes have been made to the outline of the Bill, which was published in April.

The Minister for Health will be given the power to stop suspended an institution if deemed to be operating the Act inappropriately.

A report on how many terminations have been carried out will also be published annually.

24 institutions have been granted approval to carry out procedures under the Act. These are:

• Adelaide and Meath Hospital Dublin (incorporating the National Children’s Hospital)

• Beaumont Hospital

• Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital

• Cavan General Hospital

• Cork University Hospital

• University Hospital Galway

• Kerry General Hospital

• Letterkenny General Hospital

• Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

• Mayo General Hospital

• Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar

• Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise

• Mid-Western Regional Hospital Dooradoyle

• Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital

• The National Maternity Hospital, Dublin

• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

• Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe

• The Rotunda Hospital

• Sligo Regional Hospital

• South Tipperary General Hospital

• St Luke’s General Hospital

• St James’s Hospital

• St Vincent’s University Hospital

• Waterford Regional Hospital

• Wexford General Hospital

Welcoming the publication of the Bill Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said: "if this Bill is passed, every one of the tens of thousands of pregnant women who are admitted to hospital every year will know that any action which may be needed to save her life in an emergency will be taken.

"If this Bill is passed there will be no need for worry, no reason for doubt on the part of the woman, her family or the medical professionals concerned."

(MH/CD)