By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI political correspondent
July 22, 2021
Westminster has directed Stormont's Department of Health to set up full abortion services in Northern Ireland by no later than next March.
The government has intervened with a formal direction requiring Stormont to act.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57921537
David Young, PA
Mon, 19 July 2021
The UK Government is right to intervene to ensure the provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill has said.
The Sinn Fein deputy First Minister’s comments came ahead of an anticipated announcement from Secretary of State Brandon Lewis this week on the ongoing stand-off over the rollout of services in the region.
Continued: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/uk-government-intervene-ni-abortion-151534373.html
By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI political correspondent
July 19, 2021
The government will set out further steps this week on the commissioning of abortion services for Northern Ireland, BBC News NI understands.
In March, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis took new powers allowing him to direct Stormont to act.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57882472
Charity’s plea for help and says messages to Health Minister have gone unanswered
Lisa Smyth
June 22 2021
Early medical abortions look set to be axed in Northern Ireland, meaning women will have to travel to England, pay for the service, or access the treatment over the internet.
In the latest blow for the campaign for safe and equitable healthcare for women, Informing Choices NI (ICNI) has said it will be forced to withdraw the access system if funding is not made available by this October.
Adam Payne
19 June 2021
Brandon Lewis has warned Stormont he is running out patience over its failure to implement abortion services in Northern Ireland and will not wait much longer to intervene.
The secretary of state for Northern Ireland told PoliticsHome that while he wanted to give the Executive and Assembly "space" to roll out abortion services, he was "not going to wait very long".
Continued: https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/brandon-lewis-abortion-northern-ireland-provision
By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI Political Reporter
May 26, 2021
Delays in implementing Northern Ireland's abortion laws have been a "deeply troubling exercise in finger-pointing", a court has heard.
Abortion became legal in 2020, following a vote by MPs during the collapse of devolution.
Stormont has since been under pressure to establish a permanent, central abortion service, but this has not happened yet.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57248241
Apr 26, 2021
The Department of Health must take "concrete steps" towards commissioning full abortion services in NI before the summer, a government minister has said.
Robin Walker said the secretary of state stands ready to act if significant progress is not made.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56893295
Eimear McGovern
April 23 2021
A Northern Ireland health trust has paused abortion service referrals due to a shortage of nurses and medical support.
The Western Trust said yesterday that referrals would no longer be accepted until further options can be explored to provide the service, adding they were working to minimise any disruption.
April 1, 2021
Claire Pierson
Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland in October 2019. In March the following year, the legal framework was in place to provide terminations. A year later, though, it hasn’t happened. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland hasn’t provided a clear plan to commission permanent abortion services that would ensure provision would be budgeted for and available throughout all of Northern Ireland.
Now Westminster has had to intervene to ensure women in Northern Ireland can access abortion services they are legally entitled to. Abortions can be carried out in all circumstances up to week 12 of pregnancy, until week 24 if continuing the pregnancy would risk injury to the woman’s physical or mental health, and without a time limit in cases of severe or fatal foetal abnormality or risk to the life of the pregnant woman.
By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI Political Reporter
March 31, 2021
Exclusion zones should be introduced outside sexual health clinics and pregnancy counselling centres in NI to protect staff and women accessing services, a report has said.
Protests and demonstrations would not be allowed within the zones.
Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-56578466
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn