IVF Bill will take its normal parliamentary course, Chris Fearne tells President

The government pointed out that the debate on IVF had been going on for a while and that amendments to the proposed bill could be put forward after its second reading

The process of updating the Embryo Protection Act will follow the standard parliamentary procedure, despite calls by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for a longer period of reflection.

Yesterday Coleiro Preca said she was concerned by “hostility” in the public debate surrounding the proposed amendments to the country’s IVF laws. She offered to mediate between the two sides, while calling for “calm and a longer period of reflection to enable voices to be heard”.

In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, following a meeting between Coleiro Preca and deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, the government said it welcomed the President’s comments, agreeing that such a “sensitive debate” needed to take place in a serene environment, without any hostility.

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“While the government reiterates its commitment to amending existing IVF laws as quickly as possible, especially given its electoral mandate to do so, the government also notes that both in the current and last legislatures, parliament, through the permanent committee on health, had a long and in-depth discussion on IVF,” read the statement.

It added that there would be an opportunity for further talks and reflection among stakeholders in between the bill’s second and third reading in parliament.