Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said women in the north of Ireland are legally entitled to the modern and compassionate healthcare services that have now been legislated for.

The party’s health spokesperson pointed out that the Assembly Health Committee, after a majority decision, wrote to the Health Minister asking him to put in place abortion services based on the legislation.

Colm Gildernew said:

“Sinn Féin welcomed the decriminalisation of women and the passing of legalisation to provide modern health care services for women in the north. 

“The new regulations came into effect on 31st March.

“The Minister for Health is legally bound to implement these regulations and to provide, as a matter of urgency, the modern services to which women in the north of Ireland are now legally entitled.

“The DUP’s attempts to roll back the progress made and to deny women rights which are routinely available everywhere else on these islands is wrong, is unacceptable and must be robustly rejected.”