Denying Irish teen an abortion is 'cruel'

Updated 15.03 Thu May 03 2007

Keywords: abortion

It would be "cruel" to deny a pregnant Irish teenager an abortion as her baby would not live even if she carried it full term, Ireland's High Court has heard.

The unnamed 17-year-old, who is four months' pregnant, wants to travel to Britain for an abortion, but Ireland's Health Service Executive, which has the girl in its care, has pledged to call the police and stop her.

The 17-year-old has been told her unborn baby suffers from a brain condition and is only expected to survive for a few days after birth

The teenager has now gone to the High Court in the hope of being granted permission to travel.

Opening the case, Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for Miss D, told the court that it seems "to be most inhumane" to expect her to carry her baby full term.

It has a condition meaning a major part of the brain, scalp and skull is missing and is only expected to survive for a few days after birth.

Mr Fitzsimons told the court that if Miss D was not in the care of the HSE and her parents supported her decision for abortion, there was nothing to stop her travelling.

The girl's mother and her boyfriend both support her decision to terminate the pregnancy.

Irish law outlaws abortion unless there is a real risk to the life of the mother, including suicide. But Miss D has insisted she is not suicidal.

Around 7,000 Irish women travel to Britain each year for an abortion.

The case continues.