(Image source from: Abortion legalized in Ireland})

In a landmark bill passed by Ireland's Parliament, abortion has been finally legalized in the Catholic country, after prolonged debate, a long wait and a death that forced the country to revise its anti-abortion bill. The termination, however, will not be applicable for all.

The highly-controversial and contested pro-abortion bill was passed after 48 long hours of negotiation between the Irish member of Parliaments.

Called “The Protection of Life in Pregnancy Bill”, the bill only permits abortion to pregnant women, who are either under “life risk” or “suicidal”.

The bill was considered after Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old dentist of Indian origin, died in hospital in Galway in 2012 after being denied abortion. She was 17-weeks pregnant when she died of septicaemia and a rare strain of E coli, four days after she lost her baby.

A probe into her death revealed that Savita was denied termination of her pregnancy twice owing to Ireland being a “Catholic country”.

Ireland owes this historic feat to its Prime Minister Enda Kenny, who, despite facing strong resentment within his party and threats of social ostracization by the Catholic Church, went ahead with his fight for the cause.

The bill, however was contested by Ireland's European affairs minister Lucinda Creighton who voted  against it. She now faces life-long expulsion from the Fine Gael parliamentary party.

Catholic bishops, who too are opposed to the passing of the bill, said “the new bill would make the direct and intentional killing of unborn children lawful in Ireland."

Image Source: Huffington Post

AW: Suchorita Dutta