Local Developments

The Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, the Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Commission for Older People have spoken together publicly to call for people of all ages to be protected under new age legislation covering the provision of goods, facilities and services.

The Justice Minister for Northern Ireland, David Ford has announced that he is to consult on changes to the abortion laws in Northern Ireland. At present the laws do not extend to providing termination services when a foetus is suffering from a fatal abnormality. At the end of last year there were reports of 2 separate cases where it was necessary for the women in question to travel to England to have a termination.

The Department of Health has confirmed that it intends to circulate new guidelines on the circumstances when a pregnancy can be terminated in Northern Ireland to the Executive in the next number of weeks.