The Irish government on Friday offered to provide any assistance that Savita Halappanavar’s husband might need to rebuild his life in Ireland following her tragic death.
Praveen Hallappanavar, who works in a company that manufactures sophisticated medical equipment, is now in India.
Savita died on October 28, 2012 after being refused abortion by doctors at a government hospital despite apparent risk to her life.
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Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore conveyed the offer to India’s Ambassador Debashish Chakravarti during a meeting in Dublin.
“I have assured him of our cooperation to work with the Indian Embassy here, with him as Ambassador, to work with them and to be of assistance in any way we can — and to support Savita’s husband and the family in any way we can,’’ he told reporters after the meeting.
“I am willing to meet [the family]. There is an openness to work with the family… We are certainly willing to meet with them or cooperate in any way we can.’’
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Mr. Gilmore said he conveyed to Mr. Chakravarti “the very strong feelings of the Irish people” over Savita’s death. “I have been struck over the past couple of days by the outpouring of grief and sympathy from people all over this country on this very tragic death.”
Mr. Chakravarty told The Hindu that besides conveying India’s concerns on the issue, he expressed the hope that such an incident would not happen again. He also conveyed the “frustration” of Ireland’s Indian community to Mr. Gilmore.