Under The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020, there is no time limit on abortion in the case of “severe foetal impairment or fatal foetal abnormality”.

The Northern Ireland Assembly will tomorrow debate a motion brought by four DUP MLAs which “rejects the imposition of abortion legislation which extends to all non-fatal disabilities, including Down’s syndrome”.

An amendment introduced by Sinn Féin MLAs modifies the language to reject “the specific legislative provision in the abortion legislation which goes beyond fatal foetal abnormalities to include non-fatal disabilities, including Down’s syndrome”.

Pro-life campaigners have criticised both versions of the motion. Alliance for Choice has said the motion “is not based on the best, most recent medical evidence and does not meet the human rights standards as recommended by CEDAW in their 2018 report”.