Former Solidarity TD, and Seanad election candidate Ruth Coppinger, has confirmed that her colleague Mick Barry is to place amendments to The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020 aimed at facilitating abortions through telemedicine.

The amendments will also seek to allow the online prescription of abortion pills and for these to be sent through the postal system. The amendments have been described by Eilís Mulroy, spokesperson for the Pro Life Campaign as a 'blatant attempt to hijack a national crisis in the interests of advancing extreme extensions to the existing abortion legislation'. 

“I think most people will be absolutely appalled at this calculated and dangerous set of proposals by former Deputy Coppinger and colleague Mick Barry.

"It is entirely obvious that anyone seeking to permit online prescription of abortion pills to women who may be well past the current 12 week limit has paid no attention to the potentially devastating harm this may cause the women and the certainly fatal harm it will cause to the unborn child.

"We strongly urge all TD’s to maintain their responsible and prudent approach to the emergency measures legislation and not to allow it to become the political football of medically reckless and ideologically aggressive amendments,” concluded Ms Mulroy.

ENDS