Ireland ordered to loosen abortion laws by Council of Europe

‘Ireland must loosen its strict abortion laws and replace them with a regime more respectful to women’s rights, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner has said.
Rules on terminating a pregnancy in once stridently Catholic Ireland are among the world’s most restrictive and a referendum on widening access could be held if a citizens’ assembly set up by government recommends it in a decision expected next month.
At present, terminations are allowed only if a mother’s life is in danger, after a total ban was lifted in 2013, a provision Commissioner Nils Muiznieks said still has a “chilling” effect on doctors who must decide who meets restrictive requirements.’
Read more: Ireland ordered to loosen abortion laws by Council of Europe