The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) today called for a "No" vote in the forthcoming referendum on abortion.
A number of other groups, including the Adelaide Hospital Society and the Women’s Health Council, have spoken out against the proposed bill. The Government announced on Friday its plan to hold the controversial referendum on March 6th.
The referendum seeks to overturn the current status on the issue established since the "X" case, which permits abortion in a case where a pregnant woman is suicidal.
The "Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act", if passed, states it would provide for "a medical procedure by a medical practitioner at an approved place in the course of which or as a result of which unborn human life is ended," where that procedure is "necessary to prevent a real and substantial risk to the loss of the woman's life other than by self-destruction".
Following a consultation on the proposed bill and referendum on Saturday, NWCI chairwoman Ms Gráinne Healy said the group unanimously opposed the referendum, and said the proposed bill and referendum constituted "an attack on the lives, health and welfare of women".
Ms Healy said NCWI members were alarmed that the referendum proposed not only to overturn the "X" case ruling, but also the "C" case ruling, which provides for the right to travel for an abortion.
"If the proposed new legislation is passed and the threat of suicide is ruled out as a ground on which abortion may lawfully be performed in Ireland, then the basis for the 'C' case decision is removed," she said.
"Further ‘C’ case scenarios are likely to arise for any women who need state permission or assistance to travel abroad, such as asylum seekers, prisoners, wards of court or children in care," Ms Healy said.
In a letter to the Minister for Health, the Adelaide Hospital Society said the proposed bill posed "major threats in respect of women’s health care", in light of the fact that the number of Irish women travelling to Britain for abortions is increasing by 5,000-10,000 per annum.
The Women’s Health Council of Ireland - a statutory body set up to be consulted by the Minister for Health on all aspects of women's health - has claimed it was not asked for its advice on the health implications of the forthcoming abortion referendum legislation.