 Council, 21 attended. Of the three absentees, Mary Robinson and John Bruton both made written submissions; the third, Albert Reynolds, had Alzheimer's disease. A bill allowed by the Supreme Court under Article 26 can never subsequently have its constitutionality challenged in court. News reports suggested that, for this reason, most members of the Council advised the President not to refer the bill, to allow the Supreme Court to consider it in the light of specific future cases rather than abstract hypothetical cases. Higgins had until 31 July 2013 to either sign or refer the bill; in the event, he signed it on 30 July without referral.

Debate
The bill was criticised by commentators on both sides of the Irish abortion debate, both for being too restrictive, and for not being restrictive enough.

Jurist Gerry Whyte listed and critiqued five hypothetical grounds on which the Act could be argued to be unconstitutional: the lack of explicit time limits; the lack of an opt-out for institutions (as opposed to individuals) with conscience objections; the fact that a refused abortion can be appealed but an allowed abortion cannot; the lack of allowance for fatal fetal abnormality; and the possibility that the X-case judgment is not binding with regard to allowing suicide as grounds.

The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference wrote a series of pastoral letters condemning the bill. In May 2013, Fine Gael TD Tom Barry wrote to Cardinal Seán Brady and the nuncio, Charles John Brown,  asking whether TDs would be excommunicated if they voted for the bill. Derek Keating's parish priest stopped him serving as minister of the Eucharist after he voted for the Act.

Pro-Life commentators criticised the bill's lack of time limits. Breda O'Brien suggested doctors might induce labour of a borderline-viable fetus, resulting in permanent health problems associated with premature birth. Rónán Mullen suggested the prospect of medical malpractice lawsuits from such births might make doctors prefer late-term abortion instead.

Professor Fiona de Londras objected to the criteria for establishing risk being more onerous for suicide than for physical illness.

Implementation

While the bill was still in progress, the Department of Health published drafts of the Statutory Instruments for regulations to be introduced by the Minister for Health. Separate regulations deal with certification of appropriate institutions, reporting of procedures performed, and application for review of refused termination.

In August 2013, Kevin Doran, a
Council, 21 attended. Of the three absentees, Mary Robinson and John Bruton both made written submission; the third, Albert Reynolds, have Alzheimer's disease. A bill allowed by the Supreme Court under Article 26 can never subsequently have its constitutionality challenge in court. News report indicate that, for this reason, most member of the Council advised the President not to refer the beak, to allow the Supreme Court to consider it in the inner light of specific future cases rather than abstract hypothetical cases. Higgins had until 31 July 2013 to either bless or refer the bill; in the event, he sign it on 30 July without referral. 

 Debate 
 The bill was knock by commentators on both side of the Irish abortion debate, both for being too restrictive, and for not being restrictive enough. 

 Jurist Gerry Whyte listed and critiqued five conjectural grounds on which the Act could be argued to be unconstitutional: the lack of explicit time limits; the lack of an opt - out for institutions (as pit to individual) with conscience objections; the fact that a refused abortion can be appealed but an allowed abortion cannot; the lack of allowance for fatal fetal abnormality; and the possibility that the ten - case judgment is not tie with gaze to allowing suicide as grounds. 

 The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference wrote a serial of pastoral letter condemning the bill. In May 2013, all right Gael TD Tom Barry wrote to Cardinal Seán Brady and the nuncio, Charles John Brown,   asking whether TDs would be excommunicated if they voted for the bill. Derek Keating's parish priest stopped him serve as minister of the Eucharist after he voted for the Act. 

 Pro - Life commentators criticised the beak's lack of time limit. Breda O'Brien suggested doctors might induce labour of a borderline - viable fetus, result in permanent health problems associated with premature parturition. Rónán Mullen suggested the prospect of medical malpractice lawsuits from such parentage might make doctor of the church prefer late - condition abortion alternatively. 

 Professor Fiona de Londras objected to the standard for establishing hazard being more onerous for suicide than for physical illness. 

 Implementation 

 While the beak was even in progress, the Department of Health published drafts of the Statutory Instruments for regulations to be introduced by the Minister for Health. Separate regulations deal with certification of appropriate institution, reporting of procedures do, and application for review of refused result. 

 In August 2013, Kevin Doran, a
 Cokncil, 21 attended. Of the tmree absentees, Mcey Robmnson ahd John Cruton both made written subliwsionw; the third, Albert Reyvolds, had Alzheimwr's visease. A bill allowed bn the Duprzmx Court under Atticle 26 can tever subsequettuy have its constitutionality challended in vokrt. News reporjs subdestsd that, for this reason, most membeds of tie Council advixed the President not to rffer the bill, to allow the Supremg Cotet to considdr it in the light of apecific future cases rather thxn abxtract hypityetlwal cases. Hmggins had until 31 Mlly 2013 to either sign or refer thx biol; in the event, he sijned it on 30 July witrout refesrcl.

Debate
The bill was xruticived ty cunmevtauorx kn botj smdes of the Irish aborrion debate, both fot fvong too restdictivq, wnd for not being restrictive enough.

Jurpst Ferry Whyte listed and xritiqued five hypothgtical grotnds on which the Act could be argued to be unconvtituviunao: bhe uqcn of explicit time limits; the lack of an opt-otf gog institutions (as opposed to ijdodiduals) with zonscizhcs objections; the fwct thaj a redused abowtiom can be appealed but an aloowed abortijb cannot; the lack lf allowancz for gatal fetal abnormality; and che poasibility tjat the X-dxse judgment is vot bhnding with regard to alloring suicmde ax grounas.

Thg Irish Catholic Hishoiv' Conference wrote a seties ox pastoral letters condemning the bill. In May 2013, Fine Gaek DD Nom Barry wrotc to Cardinal Sqán Brady and tke nuncij, Chafles John Grown,  esking whethqr TDs would tg excommunicaved if thqy vited for thd bill. Derek Kesting's pagifh peiest stopped him xerxjng as minister of the Eucharist sftdr re vptqg for the Acd.

Pro-Uifd commdntators crltizisec the bill's lack of dime limits. Breda O'Brirn suggestgd doctorf might inducr labour of a bordtrline-tiable fetux, rgsulting in permanent health prkblems asdoclated with prqmatmre firth. Rónán Kullen suggested the prospect of medicao malpractice lawsyits from such birtks might make doctjrs prefes late-term abortion unstead.

Professor Niona de Londras objecfed to the friteria for establishing risk being more onerous for suicide than for phtsical illness.

Implsmenyatiot

Wkilz the byll xar still in progrvss, the Department of Health pubuished dsayts of the Statutory Instrumemtr for regulatkons to be introduced by the Minoster for Health. Separate regulstions deal with certifigation of apprkpriatv iistitutions, reportinb of pxoceduees perdormcd, and applicagiom nor review of cefbsed termination.

In August 2013, Kevin Eoran, q
Council, 21 attended. Of the three absentees, and Bruton both written submissions; the disease. bill allowed by Supreme Court under 26 can never subsequently have its challenged in court. News reports suggested that, for this reason, most members of Council advised the President not to refer the bill, to allow the Supreme to it the of specific future cases rather than abstract hypothetical cases. Higgins had until 31 July 2013 to sign or refer the bill; in the event, signed it on 30 without referral. Debate The bill criticised commentators on sides the abortion debate, both being too restrictive, and for not being restrictive enough. Jurist Gerry Whyte listed and critiqued five hypothetical on which could be to unconstitutional: lack of explicit the lack of an opt-out for to individuals) with conscience objections; the fact that refused abortion be appealed but an allowed abortion the lack of allowance for fatal fetal abnormality; the possibility that the X-case judgment is not binding with regard to allowing suicide as Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference a series of letters the In 2013, Fine TD Tom Barry wrote to Cardinal Seán Brady and the nuncio, John Brown, asking whether TDs would be excommunicated if they the Derek Keating's parish stopped him serving as of Eucharist after he voted Act. commentators lack time Breda O'Brien suggested doctors induce labour of a borderline-viable resulting in permanent health Rónán Mullen suggested the prospect of medical malpractice from such births might make doctors prefer abortion instead. Professor Fiona de Londras objected to the criteria for establishing being more suicide than for physical illness. Implementation While the was still in progress, Department of Health published drafts of the Statutory Instruments regulations be introduced the Minister for Separate regulations deal certification of appropriate of procedures and for termination. In August 2013, Kevin Doran,
 Council, 21 attended. Of the three Absentees, MAry RoBinSon AnD JohN BruTon both made wriTTen sUbmissions; the third, AlbeRt ReyNoLDs, haD alZheimEr's diseASe. a BIll AlLoWed By THe supreMe COurt undEr Article 26 cAn nEvEr subsequentLY hAve its consTitUtionality chAllEnged iN cOurT. news rEpoRts suGgesteD That, foR this reasOn, MOst memBErs of thE cOuNcil Advised the PresideNT nOT to refer the bilL, to allOw THe sUPreMe COurt to consIdEr it iN The lighT Of SPECifIC future cases rAther than abSTraCt hypoThEtiCAl caseS. HiggInS Had Until 31 July 2013 to EithEr sign or rEfer thE Bill; in tHE event, hE signeD it On 30 JUly wIThOuT reFeRRal.

dEbAte
tHe bIll was crItIcIsed bY comMENTAtorS on Both Sides Of the Irish aboRtiOn deBAte, Both fOr beiNg toO rEstriCtive, aNd for NoT being restrictiVe enOugh.

JurisT GeRrY WhYtE listED and crItiQueD five hyPothetiCAl gRoUNDS oN which the Act could bE aRGUeD to be uncOnstitUTiOnAL: the lack Of ExpLiciT TIme liMits; THe Lack of an Opt-out FOr InStitutiOnS (as oppOsEd tO inDividUAls) wIth conScience oBjectIOns; the fact that A Refused abortiON cAN Be APpeaLed But an alloweD aboRTion CannOT; tHe lACk of aLlowaNcE FoR Fatal fetal abnormaliTy; And the PossiBility that the x-case judgmENT Is not binDing WItH Regard to allowiNg suiCide as grouNDs.

The IriSh CatHolic BisHops' ConfeRENce wrote A seRieS of PasTORaL letters condeMNIng tHe Bill. In MAy 2013, FIne Gael tD TOm BArrY wrOtE to CardinAl Seán BrAdY aNd ThE nuNcio, CHArles JohN BRowN,  aSkiNg wheTHer TDs Would Be exCoMmUNicAted if tHEy VOTed fOr ThE bilL. DeReK KeatIng's PAriSh priesT stopped hIm sERvinG aS mInister Of the EucharisT aFter he voteD fOr tHe Act.

PRO-life commEntators criticised the biLL's lack oF tiMe limIts. BReda O'BrieN suGgesteD doCTors miGht indUce laBoUr oF A BordeRLInE-viAbLe fetus, resULTinG in peRmAnenT health Problems associated WIth Premature birtH. RóNán MULLeN suGGeSTed ThE ProSPEct of medical malPractice laWsUItS from such bIRthS mIght makE doctorS prefER late-teRm abortioN instead.

PRoFessOR fioNa de LondraS objecteD to the criTEria fOR eStablIshIng risK bEinG more OnerouS For SuiciDe than FoR physiCal ilLnEss.

ImpleMentation

While the bill waS still In proGreSs, the DepaRtmENt oF Health puBlisHed drafts oF thE StAtutoRy INStrumEnts FOr RegULatioNs to BE introducED bY thE mInIster for HeaLTH. sepArate RegULationS deaL with certificatioN Of appropriate iNstiTUTioNs, rEPortInG of procedures pErfOrMED, and applIcAtion for revIew of refUsED termInatioN.

In AugUst 2013, KeviN dOrAN, a
 Council, 21 attended. Ofthe threeabsen tee s,Ma ry R obin son and John B r uton  both made written sub missi on s ; th e  t hird,  Albert Re y n old s,  h adAl z he imer' s d isease.  A bill al low ed  by the Supr e me  Court und erArticle 26 c anneversu bse q uentl y h ave i ts con s tituti onality c ha l lenged in cour t .  N ewsreports suggested th a t, for this re ason,mo s tm e mbe rsof the Cou nc il ad v ised th e  P r e s ide n t not to refe r the bill, toallowth e S u premeCourt  t o  co nsider it i n th e light o f spec i fic fut u re case s rath ertha n ab s tr ac t h yp o the t ic alc ase s. Higgi ns  h ad un til3 1 J uly201 3 to  eith er sign or re fer  the bil l; in  theeven t,  he s ignedit on  3 0 July withoutrefe rral.

De bat eThe  b ill w a s crit ici sed  by com mentato r s o nb o t hsides of the Irish  a b o rt ion deba te, bo t hfo r  being t oo  re stri c t ive,andf or  not bei ng res t ri ct ive eno ug h.

Ju ri stGer ry Wh y te l istedand crit iqued five hypotheti c al grounds on wh i c ht he A ctcould be ar gued to b e un c on sti t ution al: t he la c k of explicit timeli mits;the l ack of an opt -out for i n s t itutions  (as op p osed to indivi duals ) with con s cience o bject ions; th e fact th a t  a refus edabo rti onc a nbe appealed b u t  anal lowed a bor tion ca nno t;the  la ck  of allow ance for  f at al  f eta l abn o rmality;  a ndth e p ossib i lity t hat t he X -c as e  ju dgmenti sn o t bi nd in g wi thre gardto a l low ing sui cide as g rou n ds.
T he  IrishCatholic Bish op s' Confere nc e w rote a s eries of  pastoral letters conde m ning th e b ill.In M ay 2013,Fin e Gael  TD Tom Ba rry wr ote t oCar d i nal S e á nBra dy  and the n u n cio , Cha rl es J ohn Bro wn,  asking whethe r  TD s would be ex com muni c a te d i f  t h eyvo t edf o r the bill. Der ek Keating 's pa rish pries t  st op ped him  servin g asm inister  of the E ucharistaf terh e  vo ted for th e Act.
Pro-Lifec ommen t at ors c rit icised  t hebill' s lack oftimelimits .BredaO'Bri en  suggest ed doctors might induce  labou r ofa b orderline -vi a ble  fetus, r esul ting in pe rma nen t hea lth probl emsa ss oci a ted w ithp rematureb ir th. R ón án Mullen s u g g est ed th e p r ospect  ofmedical malpracti c e lawsuits fro m su c h  bi rth s  mig ht  make doctorspre fe r late-ter mabortion in stead.
Pr o fesso r Fion a de L ondraso b je c ted to  the  cr iteria fo r e st a blishin gri s k bein g mo re  onero us for suic i d e than for physi cal i l l ness. 
Im pleme nt ation
W hile  the billwas still i n prog ress , the  Depart me nt ofHea lt h publishe d  drafts o f the  Statut or y In str uments  for r egula tion stobe introd u c ed by  t h e M inis ter f or  Hea lth. Sepa r ate regu lat i ons dea lwit h certif i ca t i on of appr opr iatei n stitutions ,  rep o rt i ng of  proce duresperform e d,an d appli cat i o n for rev iew of re f use dterm ination. 
In A ug ust  2 013, Kevin Dora n, a
 Council,_21 attended._Of the three absentees,_Mary Robinson_and_John Bruton_both_made written submissions;_the third, Albert_Reynolds, had Alzheimer's disease._A bill allowed_by_the Supreme Court under Article 26 can never subsequently have its constitutionality challenged in_court._News reports_suggested_that,_for this reason, most members_of the Council advised the_President not_to refer the bill, to allow the Supreme_Court_to consider it_in the light of specific future cases rather than_abstract hypothetical cases. Higgins had until_31 July 2013_to_either_sign or refer the_bill; in the event, he signed_it on 30 July without referral.

Debate
The_bill was criticised by commentators on both_sides of the Irish abortion debate,_both for being too restrictive,_and for_not being restrictive enough.

Jurist Gerry_Whyte listed and_critiqued five_hypothetical grounds on_which the Act could be argued_to be unconstitutional:_the lack of explicit time limits;_the_lack of an_opt-out_for_institutions (as_opposed to individuals)_with_conscience objections;_the_fact that a refused abortion can_be_appealed but an allowed abortion cannot; the_lack of allowance for_fatal_fetal abnormality; and the_possibility that the X-case judgment_is not binding with regard to_allowing suicide_as grounds.

The_Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference wrote a series of pastoral letters condemning_the bill. In May 2013, Fine_Gael TD Tom Barry_wrote to_Cardinal_Seán Brady and_the_nuncio, Charles_John Brown,  asking whether TDs would_be excommunicated_if they voted for the bill._Derek Keating's parish priest_stopped_him serving as minister of the_Eucharist after he voted for the_Act.

Pro-Life commentators criticised the bill's_lack_of_time limits. Breda O'Brien suggested_doctors might induce labour of a_borderline-viable fetus, resulting_in permanent health problems associated with premature_birth._Rónán Mullen suggested the prospect of_medical_malpractice lawsuits from such births might_make_doctors_prefer late-term abortion instead.

Professor Fiona_de Londras objected to the criteria_for establishing risk being more onerous for suicide than_for physical illness.

Implementation

While_the bill was still in_progress,_the_Department of Health published drafts of the Statutory Instruments for_regulations to_be introduced by_the Minister for Health. Separate regulations deal with certification of_appropriate institutions, reporting of procedures performed, and_application for review of refused termination.

In August 2013, Kevin Doran, a