The Irish government will appoint an expert to review the controversial Termination of Pregnancy Act which came into effect in 2019. The act itself provides a review after three years of its implementation and the expert will seek opinions on the matter from experienced women, abortion service providers as well as the public, reports The Irish Times.
The referendum to allow abortion in the country started back in 2018 and gained support from majority of the citizens. The act allows women to have termination within 12 weeks of pregnancy or in cases such as threat to the life of mother or the foetus. It also allows abortion, if anomalies are diagnosed with the foetus during scanning.
The expert will submit recommendations to the health minister following the consultation with the public, the sources said to The Irish Times.
After the implementation of the law, 6,666 abortions were carried it in 2019 followed by further 6,577 abortions in 2020.