Precious Life have condemned the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) for reissuing guidelines on abortion which the High Court had ordered to be withdrawn at the end of last year. Precious Life said the DHSSPS' actions were "arrogant and deceitful".

After a legal challenge to the guidelines in October 2009, the High Court in Belfast ruled that two sections were misleading and ordered the guidelines be withdrawn. In December, lawyers for the DHSSPS went back to court to argue that only the two sections should be reconsidered. However, Lord Justice Girvan again said the entire guidelines were misleading and that he would not vary his order requiring the guidelines to be withdrawn.

Lord Justice Girvan said the two sections of the guidelines that he had criticised were significant portions, and the effect of the errors made the guidelines as a whole misleading.

The reissue of these guidelines by the DHSSPS is both arrogant and deceitful.

Twice the Court has ruled the entire guidelines as a whole are misleading. But the DHSSPS have now arrogantly ignored the judge's ruling.

In a press statement the DHSSPS deceitfully say they have 'withdrawn' their guidelines. This is a blatant lie. They have not withdrawn the guidelines; they have reissued the same guidelines with two sections 'temporarily removed.' "

Precious Life will continue to lobby our Assembly Members to ensure there is a new consultation process on completely new guidelines with input from pro-life medical and legal experts. Any future guidance issued by Department of Health must clearly outline the illegality of abortion, and fully acknowledge the right to life of our unborn children and their protection in law.

The DHSSPS are in breach of the High Court ruling. If they refuse to withdraw their abortion guidelines completely, we will be forced to take them back to court again.

---

TAKE ACTION
Contact the Health Minister for Northern Ireland - Mr Michael McGimpsey - and demand his Department adheres to the High Court ruling and completely withdraw their misleading abortion guidelines.

In your own words say…
--Lord Justice Girvan ruled the effect of the errors in the two sections of the guidelines that he (Justice Girvan) had criticised were significant and made the guidelines as a whole misleading.

--why has the Department of Health arrogantly ignored the judge's ruling.

--why has the Department of Health deceitfully said they have 'withdrawn' their guidelines, when in fact they have reissued the same guidelines with just two sections 'temporarily removed.'

--there must be a new consultation process on completely new guidelines with input from pro-life medical and legal experts. Any future guidance issued by Department of Health must clearly outline the illegality of abortion, and fully acknowledge the right to life of our unborn children and their protection in law.

Email Mr Michael McGimpsey at Michael.McGimpsey@niassembly.gov.uk or his Private Secretary at private.office@dhsspsni.gov.uk

---

[BACK TO NEWS HEADLINES]