A 17-year-old pregnant Irish girl is appearing in the High Court in Dublin to press for the right to travel to Britain for an abortion.
Miss D was informed last month that her foetus has anencephaly, a condition which means that a large part of the brain and skull is missing.
Babies with anencephaly live a maximum of just three days after birth.
A psychiatrist appointed by the HSE said that the teenager was distraught at the diagnosis, but not suicidal, and therefore did not meet the criteria for being allowed a termination.
Eoghan Fitzsimons told the court that police had responded to a request by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to prevent her leaving the country, saying they could not and would not do so without a court order.
Abortion is illegal in Ireland except where the mother’s life is threatened by a medical condition or suicide.
Mr Fitzsimons said it was inhumane to expect the girl to carry the foetus for the full nine months only for it to die.
