A precedent would be set if the Eastern Health Board paid for an abortion for the 13-year-old girl which could result in any female requesting financial assistance in the future, a health board member said yesterday.
Mr Tommy Cullen (Lab), one of three EHB members who requested a meeting to discuss the board's policy on abortion, said there were "long-term repercussions for the EHB" if the Supreme Court upheld the decision allowing the girl to travel for an abortion. Mr Cullen and Mrs Bernadette Bonar, a long-time antiabortion activist, walked out of the meeting when they discovered the media had been excluded.
The meeting was called in response to a request to the chairwoman, Ms Roisin Shortall TD (Lab), from them and Dr Charles Smith of the Central Mental Hospital. "Any single girl who says that she cannot cope could be eligible to apply for funding to terminate the pregnancy. The health board would have to fund whole scale abortion and that is our concern," said Mr Cullen.
He said the health board would have to send a doctor, a nurse and a social worker with the girl if she went for an abortion. "That is taxpayers' money being spent, as opposed to the X case when it was private money. The precedent will be set. This general issue should be brought before the people in a referendum." Ms Shortall said the health board was obliged "to turn to the courts for direction".
Mr Cullen, who is chairman of the community care committee, said that at the start of yesterday's meeting he had asked if the press had been invited and was told they had not because it was being held in committee. It is believed about 20 of the 37 health board members were present. "We wanted the public to be aware of what was happening at that meeting. It was a sham." The meeting was closed following the walkout.
In a statement, the board said the meeting had been held in committee "in accordance with usual custom and practice".
Ms Shortall said it had been "up to any member to propose at the start of the meeting that the media be allowed access" but that had not happened. Her independent legal advice was that the "respective powers and functions of the members are very clearly laid down in the legislation. The handling of an individual case is an executive function. Where constitutional or legal issues arise the health board turns to the court for direction."