The Irish bishops’ conference has published a new code of healthcare ethics restating that Catholic hospitals cannot perform direct abortions.
The Code of Ethical Standards for Healthcare was given to the Irish government earlier this month, when it met with representatives of the bishops' conference. The government plans to introduce abortion on demand up to 12 weeks before the end of the year.
The code applies to up to 20 hospitals connected to religious orders.
The Irish government says it will allow conscientious objection for individual medics and other staff, but not for institutions. The bishops' code argues that the "ethos of a healthcare institute has the character of an ‘institutional conscience'".
