President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca hopes that the ethical and moral issues being raised on the new IVF law are addressed before it lands on her desk for her signature.
Replying to questions from the Times of Malta on whether she was prepared to sign the law, the President said she was “hopeful” that the outstanding issues were seen to before it was presented to her.
“Following her appeal for a non-polarised debate, the President held a very constructive meeting with Health Minister Chris Fearne and is hopeful that the new law, which will be presented for Her Excellency to sign, will take into account the ethical and moral considerations,” a spokeswoman for the President said.
The President had said earlier she wished to ensure that the new IVF law “balances the heartache childless couples face with the sensitive ethical issues connected with embryos’ rights”.
The President’s appeal for a mature discussion distinct from partisan politics appears to have been taken on board: Mr Fearne told Parliament’s House Business Committee yesterday that there would be a wide public consultation on the proposed amendments before the Bill went for its third reading in Parliament.
Mr Fearne said the government wished to have the amendments to the Embryo Protection Act granted a third reading before the House rose for summer recess on July 4.
He emphasised, however, that Parliament would not rise for recess if it was felt that discussions needed to continue.
Mr Fearne said the government was proposing a series of bumper parliamentary sittings on Monday and Tuesday to conclude the second reading.
The minister also said that after having taken the President’s call into consideration, the government was proposing that the committee stage preceding the IVF Bill’s third reading should take place during an extra plenary session instead of in the Committee for the Consideration of Bills, in order to allow broader participation from MPs.
This would not allow direct intervention by experts, but both sides of the House would be able to request advice from those experts attending the session and relay it during their own interventions, he said.
The President said that she was monitoring the consultation very closely and reiterated her availability to mediate if and when the need arose.