NI justice minister is criticised for targeting babies with disabilities

The North’s Justice Minister has been accused of “the worst form of discrimination” against unborn children with disabilities, following his recommendation for abortion in cases of life-limiting conditions.

Following a public consultation process, Minister David Ford has proposed legislating for abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, but not in cases of rape or incest. He is seeking approval from the Stormont Executive to bring legislation to the assembly.

“It is the worst form of discrimination to deny the right to life of an unborn child because of his or her disabilities,” said Bernadette Smyth, Director of Precious Life, which collected a petition of 23,622 signatures opposing legislative change. “By ignoring the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland, it is painfully clear that David Ford is hell-bent on legalising the killing of such vulnerable and defenceless children.”

Tracy Harkin of Every Life Counts said that “it was shameful” that David Ford had refused to meet with mothers who had carried their children with life limiting disabilities to term.

She said most mothers on the island “do not abort their babies in these circumstances” and that Mr Ford should concentrate on making better services like perinatal hospice care available to families “whose children may not live for very long after birth, rather than rushing to legalise abortion which helps neither mother nor baby”.