Thursday, January 10, 2013

Faith chiefs to give abortion views

Dr Michael Jackson will give evidence before a parliamentary hearing on plans to legislate for abortionChurch leaders will give evidence later before a parliamentary hearing on plans to legislate for abortion in Ireland.

Those addressing the committee include Catholic Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones and Dr Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.

Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland Dr Roy Patton and Heidi Good, representing the Methodist Church of Ireland, will also attend.

Other speakers include Dr Ali Selim, of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland, Michael Nugent, of Atheist Ireland, and Rabbi Zalman Lent, of the Irish Jewish Community.

The church and advocacy group representatives will be asked about the views of their organisations in relation to the Government's plans to legislate and regulate for abortion in certain cases where a woman's life may be at risk.

It will be the last in three days of hearings by the Joint Committee on Health and Children, held in the Seanad chamber.

The committee has already taken evidence from senior medics, health chiefs, legal experts and academics.