"We urge you to take steps to formulate new regulations that will reflect more fully the will of a significant majority of the people in this jurisdiction to protect the lives of mothers and their unborn children.”

Northern Ireland now has “one of the most liberal abortion regimes anywhere in the world” in which “some unborn children will be left completely defenceless”.

Northern bishops highlight how motion was "completely silent" on the "vital issue" of respect for individual religious conscience and protections for Churches.

Equality would be best served by diversity of adoption providers with reasonable accommodation in law for those of a particular religious ethos: NI bishops.