Tánaiste Makes U-Turn Over Abortion Stance

The Foreign Affairs Minister says that he's changed his mind after long conversations with both medical experts and the Minister for Health.
"When it comes to prescribing abortion pills early in pregnancy, I have struggled most with this issue," he wrote in this morning's Irish Independent.
"If we do nothing, we know pills will continue to be purchased online and taken without medical advice or supervision. We cannot knowingly allow this to continue, given the dangers involved."
In what will be seen as a game changer in the public debate, he added: "I will say at Cabinet tomorrow that I could support a law that allows access to such medication up to 12 weeks of gestation, effectively 10 weeks of pregnancy, if it is coupled with strict guidelines – resulting in a “clinical protocol” to be followed in every case when an abortion is requested."
But he admits that it wasn't an easy decision for him to make. "Removing the equal right to life of the unborn from our Constitution is not something I easily or immediately supported. I say this as a husband and father of three beautiful young girl," he wrote.

Hot Press' Editor Niall Stokes issued an open letter to Simon Coveney last month, asking him to reconsider his previously conservative position on the issue of abortion, by looking at the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly and the Oireachtas Committee.