James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a terrible tragedy for any couple which finds the chances of survival for their baby are not realistic.

The diagnosis of a fatal foetal abnormality has to be one of the worst pieces of news that any pregnant mother can get.

However, termination of pregnancy in Ireland is permitted only in very limited circumstances, that is, only if it is established, as a matter of probability, that there is a real and substantial risk to the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother and that this real and substantial risk can only be averted by the termination of her pregnancy. These are the X case criteria. The Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 was recently enacted, the purpose of which is to restate the general prohibition on abortion in Ireland while regulating access to lawful termination of pregnancy in accordance with the X case and the judgment of the European Court of Human rights in the A, B, and C v Ireland case, and also in accordance with the Constitution.

The purpose of the Act is not to confer new rights to termination of pregnancy, but only to provide for existing rights, that is, within the constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court judgment in the X case. Therefore, fatal foetal abnormalities are not covered in the Act as grounds for termination.

Officials in my Department have liaised with the HSE crisis pregnancy programme to facilitate a meeting with a group representing women who have received such a diagnosis in relation to relevant crisis pregnancy counselling and post-abortion counselling options currently available, and ways to improve the standard of service nationwide. This group has now made contact with the crisis pregnancy programme and they are due to meet shortly.

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