Woman dies after being denied a termination
national | rights and freedoms | feature 
Wednesday November 14, 2012 13:04
by indyjourno 
Savita Halappanavar
Pro-Choice Ireland have called a demonstration for 6 o'clock this evening Wednesday 14th November outside Leinster House.
Action on X in conjunction with Galway Pro-Choice has called a candle lit vigil for this Saturday the 17th of November beginning at the Garden of Remembrance at 4 o'clock .
31 year old Savita Halappanavar died last week after being denied a termination after presenting with a miscarriage. Having originally presented at the hospital with a back pain on October 21st, it was discovered that Savita was miscarrying. She was 17 weeks pregnant at the time.
Over the course of 3 days in the hospital the doctors refused to carry out an abortion despite there being no hope of survival of the foetus. Savita had requested and abortion several times over the 3 days due to the severe pain she was suffering. She was refused an abortion on the basis that the foetal heartbeat was still beating and that “this is a Catholic country”. After 3 days the foetal heartbeat stopped and finally the foetus was removed. However Savita developed septicaemia caused by the miscarriage and died on the 28th.
Mark Simpson of the BBC tweeted earlier "Just spoke by phone to husband of Savita Halapanavar. Asked if he felt his wife would be alive if she had an abortion: "Of course. No doubt" "
In the aftermath of the reports of the death Choice Ireland renewed their calls for abortion legislation. Spokesperson Stephanie Lord said “Today, some twenty years after the X case we find ourselves asking the same question again - if a woman is pregnant, her life in jeopardy, can she even establish whether or not she has a right to a termination here in Ireland? There is still a disturbing lack of clarity around this issue, decades after the tragic events surrounding the X case in 1992."
Clare Daly TD and Joan Collins TD introduced an X case bill that was opposed by Fine Gael and Labour. They announced today that in light of the tragic death they will reintroduce the X case bill.
Clare Daly said "First and foremost we wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the woman's husband, family and friends for their terrible loss. This loss is all the worse because it need not have happened.
Make no mistake, had Labour and Fine Gael acted upon our Bill, medical guidelines could have been in place which would have ensured that there would have been no grounds for equivocation about performing an abortion when there was a risk to the life of the woman. Instead, the government took the cowardly step of hiding behind the fourth 'expert group' on abortion since 1992. This refusal to act has contributed to the circumstances which brought about this woman's death. Fianna Fáil and the Greens also bear responsibility, due to their failure to legislate for the X Case.”
Joan Collins stated “We demand a full and public enquiry into the circumstances of this woman's death. We demand that Minister Reilly immediately publish the report of his 'expert group' – now four months overdue from its own promised publication date. We intend to re-submit our X Case Bill, which provides for legal abortion when there is a risk to the life of a woman, as soon as we can. We demand that the government immediately provide Dáil time to promptly bring our Bill into law.
A woman's life has been sacrificed due to the unwillingness of Labour, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens to legislate in line with the Supreme Court ruling on the X Case in 1992. We call on the women of Ireland to take to the streets to ensure that action is taken to stop this ever happening again. The first step is to protest at the Dáil at 6pm on Wednesday evening, November 14.”
The Pro-Choice Campaign Ireland have called a protest for this evening to Protest at Savita's death and calling to for the governemnt to legislate on the X case now. The demonstration is 6 o'clock Wednesday the 14th outside Leinster House
Action on X in conjunction with Galway Pro-Choice has called a candle lit vigil for this Saturday the 17th of November beginning at the Garden of Remembrance at 4 o'clock .
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10RTE Documentary on Anne Lovett
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/documentary-podcast-l....html
In France, they are not determining whether or not to provide abortions, they are aiming to make it free of charge for all who need same. This about women and choice.
Ireland stands in the dark. The Supreme Court ruled on the X case and subsequent cases.
This was a tragedy waiting to happen.
This pushes the requirements now beyond mental health and suicidal.
This woman, a mother is dead, and an abortion could have saved her life.
Ireland needs to come in line with provisions in our European neighbouring countries and NOW
As a doctor myself, this opinion is ass backwards. Docs hands are tied, if they perform the procedure they lose their licence (and probably more). Unfortunately, this highlights the murky legal situation the OBGYNs have to operate in, they know that its unviable yet since there is a heartbeat, nothing can be done as technically the child is still alive. I spoke with a few of my colleagues who are OBGYN (I'm not) and this is a nightmare situation for them.
The blame, I feel, falls squarely at the feet of government who, despite court rulings directing them to legislate for things like this have dragged their feet and tried to hide it under a carpet and hope no one notices. Well people sure as hell notice now, and they are pissed.
Two years ago, the European Court of Human Rights ruled, Ireland had failed to provide for abortion in circumstances where the mother’s life is at risk. The decision meant Ireland had to legislate but James Reilly facing resistance from within aright wing Fine Gael and the compliant careerists of Labour to any liberalisation of the laws on abortion, abdicated, i.e. DID NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. He is paid extremely well to take responsibility. Now Reilly and Gilmore have no problem taking responsibility when it comes to financial austerity and health cuts but when it comes to people before profit, they couldn't be arsed.
In the article censored I wrote of the modern Irish disease of all conversations relating back to self, particularly Irish women, who are now often, just very selfish and self-centered. Looking at the traits and characteristics that selfish Irish people possess, one thing becomes clear more than anything else, no one is listening. WE can have all the inquiries we want but without listening and commonsense it make no difference. WE don't need another inquiry to tell us what failed. Commonsense and natural human empathy and compassion tells us the solution.
This particularly modern fascist corporate trait in Ireland, makes them see or hear no one else. They make bad listeners and give little or no consideration to what others people have to say. They are very inconsiderate and have little or no room for compassion and have become heartless. They would cut off conversations and bring the focus on themselves.
The Catholic country comment and heartlessness behind it, (by their fruits you will know them) demonstrates what is not an isolated incident in modern Ireland. It also means we need our 1 million dissenter protestant brothers and sisters sooner, rather than later. James Allen the philosopher, who wasn't Irish wrote, “The selfishness must be discovered and understood before it can be removed. It is powerless to remove itself, neither will it pass away of itself. Darkness ceases only when light is introduced; So ignorance can only be dispersed by Knowledge; Selfishness by Love.”
This Light he refers to, this Knowledge can only happen when the RTE fascist, media culture of censorship, which has taken hold in Ireland with article 31 ceases and discussion is encouraged before another incident of heartbreak happens in Ireland, to confirm our scum cultures North and South. Ireland is a beautiful country, it is also currently very ugly. I love Ireland but I also hate its contemporary form with passion. Perhaps before the "Gathering of Money " next year, we might ask some other emigrants, what they feel about contemporary Ireland. I suggest we have another look at what James Carlin had to say in the video below again. Reilly should take responsibility, do the decent thing and resign before he causes any more pain in our Unhealhy Service.
2 Years Ago European Court of Human Rights Ruled Ireland Failed Provide Abortion Where Mother’s Life is at Risk.