Irish teenager confined to country so she can't get abortion

[buttmunch]

An Irish teenager expecting a baby who is certain to die shortly after birth started a court battle yesterday to have an abortion in Britain.

The 17-year- old, who is four months pregnant, is fighting moves by health chiefs in Ireland to prevent her from leaving the country.

The teenager, known only as Miss D for legal reasons, was told last week that her unborn baby suffers from the devastating condition anencephaly.

It means a large part of the baby's brain, skull and scalp is missing and it will live for a maximum of three days after it is born.

Irish law outlaws abortion unless there is a real risk to the life of the mother, including suicide.

However, women are normally allowed to travel to Britain to terminate their pregnancy.

Miss D's case is being heard before the High Court in Dublin because she is a minor who has been in the care of the Health and Safety Executive since March.

The girl claims she was told by the government agency that it had notified police that she was not permitted to leave the country, and that the care order made it unlawful for her to leave the country without its permission.

The girl's mother and boyfriend support her wishes. Legal teams have agreed that the case, which was lodged on Monday evening, should be rushed through the court system as quickly as possible.

Opening the case for the teenager, Eoghan Fitzsimons said she was effectively being forced to carry her baby for nine months only for it to die.

"It seems most inhumane to expect her to do that," he said.

The case is being brought against the District Justice, the HSE and the Attorney General.

The teenager is seeking to quash the care order made by the District Judge to the extent that it restricts her from leaving the country.

She also wants an order quashing the decision of the HSE to instruct police to prevent her leaving the country.

The HSE's case is still to be heard, but it says its priority is the girl's welfare.

However, the court has heard arguments that it had no power to prevent her from leaving the country for an abortion.

A separate barrister has been appointed to represent the right of the unborn child, and the girl's mother has been granted legal aid so she can be represented.

In a case in 1992, a High Court judge granted an injunction preventing a 14-year-old rape victim from leaving Ireland to have an abortion.

Following a public outcry, the Supreme Court overturned the decision two weeks later to allow her to go. In that case, the court held that there was a real and substantial risk of the mother committing suicide if the pregnancy continued and said the termination was permissible, even in Ireland.

However, Miss D, who has been assessed by a psychiatrist, has stressed that she is not suicidal and will continue with the pregnancy against her wishes if she loses the court battle.

The case has ignited a row between pro-life and pro-abortion groups, leading to demonstrations outside the court.

Mary Muldowney, of the Alliance for Choice, which campaigns for free legal abortion in Ireland, said: "The HSE must retract their callous approach to Miss D's tragic case and facilitate her choice for a termination.

"She cannot afford any further delay."

Berry Kiely, of the Pro-Life Campaign, said: "Every unborn child has a unique worth and dignity and is entitled to protection."

The case continues.

Irish teenager in court fight over baby who is doomed to die | the Daily Mail

I hate to say it but this is one area where Ireland really starts to get nutty. Poor girl...

[McJag]

This chills my blood. No hint of compassion-she is just condemmed.

[buttmunch]

I think compassion has gone out of fashion...it followed character, integrity, grace and dignity.

[Butterfly]

Do they really think this is what god would want? For her to go through this? I hate these religious fuckers.

[MrsDark]

That's goddamned ridiculous. I've seen pictures of what these babies look like. They literally have 1/3 to 1/2 a head, no brain. Very scary looking. Not to mention the poor things do not survive. Or as my instructors used to say this condition (malformation, etc.) is "incompatible with life". Brutal ass monsters. But hey, I guess "that's what she gets" for fucking! (This is seriously the rationalization of some types like this)

[A*O]

For all its booming economy and modernity Ireland is still a deeply conservative, hardline Catholic country and the church is still very much in control. A lot of social and moral issues come straight from the Middle Ages so I'm not at all surprised by this sad story.

[Cotjockey]

That poor girl. My heart goes out to her.

It's so unbelievable that in this day & age, we still hear about women being forced to do this.

[Aella]

This is just sickening.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

Fucking heartless to do this to her.

[sputnik]

fucking irish.
(no offence to irish members )

[waikiki]

Heartless.

[buttmunch]

But hey, I guess "that's what she gets" for fucking!

I used to know a number of catholic girls who screwed around, but refused to use birth control. Their motto was 'you play, you pay'.

[Grimmlok]

how upstanding of the little sluts.

[Dean James]

Shitty situation, no doubt. My heart goes out to this girl forced to carry the baby to term, that's terribly unfair.

But doctors encourage parents of babies with anencephaly to donate their child's organs to other sick babies. While their brains are all malformed, their other vital organs are in good shape. I'd hate to think that this factors in some way but maybe within this tragedy, some good will come. Who knows.

[yanna]

That's insane! So God sent her a bunch of spare parts instead of a kid and now she's supposed to carry it to term no matter what?

We need EU legislation to protect women in Ireland, Poland and those other uberCatholic countries that don't allow abortions. This is just sick!