The Department of Health (DoH) in Northern Ireland has announced its intention to publish new draft guidelines for health professionals on the law on abortion.
Previous guidelines published by the DoH in 2009 were withdrawn after pro-life campaigners argued that they did not address issues such as counselling and conscientious objections adequately.
Judicial review
Following the decision, the Family Planning Association (FPA) brought judicial review proceedings to ask the High Court to order the DoH to publish new guidelines.
The High Court said that a hearing on the issue was unnecessary since the DoH had revealed its plans to issue new guidelines on abortion laws next week.
Commenting on the announcement, the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) said:
"By taking this legal action the FPA has demonstrated a growing frustration at its own lack of success in winning support for its agenda. Despite its efforts abortion in Northern Ireland remains a criminal offence.
Force
"In trying to force the Department of Health to publish guidelines the FPA is actually attempting to medicalise the issue of abortion. The law, however, is perfectly clear and requires no guidance.
"Besides, any guidance which accurately reflected the law would not be acceptable to the FPA because it refuses to recognise the limitations within the current law."
Currently, abortions in Northern Ireland are illegal and are only permitted in exceptional circumstances where the life of the pregnant woman is at immediate risk and if there is a long term or permanent risk to her physical or mental health.
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