A woman aged 31 who was having a miscarriage died from blood poisoning after an Irish hospital refused her an abortion because the foetus still had a heartbeat.
The death of Savita Halappanavar has prompted calls for reform of the Republic of Ireland’s uncompromising law on abortion, which is banned in almost all circumstances.
Last night streets surrounding the Irish parliament were shut down and traffic ground to a halt during the rush-hour as about 2,000 demonstrators staged a spontaneous protest. There were also protests at the Irish Embassy in London.
MPs in Ireland are calling for an independent inquiry