Independent senator Dr Mary Henry said in the Seanad last night that she objected to the definition of abortion in the proposals put forward by the Government. She did not know how the anti-abortion groups who contended that human life began at conception accepted it.
Dr Henry was contributing to the debate on a Fine Gael motion calling for a comprehensive and compassionate approach to the need for proper support structures to assist women experiencing crisis pregnancies along the lines in the party's Care of Persons Board Bill.
A Government amendment sought the endorsement of the establishment by the Minister for Health and Children of a crisis pregnancy agency under the provisions of the 1961 Health Act and the provision of a budget of €6.5 million for the agency next year.
Dr Henry said abortion was described in the proposed legislation as being the intentional destruction by any means of unborn human life after implantation in the womb of a woman. And there was no end point.
"I would have thought we could at least have taken on the medical terminology which says 'until the child is viable'. I don't think it will matter with this piece of legislation but, internationally, it is this sort of sloppy legislation which has allowed for what are described as partial birth abortions in the United States of America, which I would describe as foetuscides."
The Government amendment was carried.