Savita death: Ireland in no hurry to change laws

Despite the global outcry over the death of Savita Halappanavar in Ireland allegedly because doctors refused to terminate her pregnancy, Irish minister for health James Reilly is resisting pressure to commit to the introduction of legislation to clarify the legal situation governing terminations of pregnancy.

Dr Reilly said it would be improper of him to make such a commitment before he considered the report of his expert group on abortion.

He said he had given the report, which he received this week, a ''quick glance'' but had not had time to study it properly. After he had done this, he would bring it to cabinet, he said on Thursday.

Pressure on the government to legislate on the circumstances in which terminations of pregnancy can be carried out has been growing in the wake of the death of Savita late last month. Ireland saw widespread protests after the news of her death broke on Wednesday.

India's ambassador to Ireland will today formally raise New Delhi's concerns over the death of Savita Halappanavar.

In Delhi, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said, "I think saving the life of the mother is of prime importance, if you can't save the life of the child.