Ireland is under new pressure to legalize abortion as the date nears for a decision by a government panel.

Abortion is currently illegal in Ireland except to save the life of the mother. In fact, Article 40 of the Constitution of Ireland acknowledges the right to life of the unborn. But pressure has been coming from various corners for years to change that, the latest from the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner who has ordered Ireland to loosen abortion laws out of respect for women's rights.

Joseph Meaney with Human Life International spoke with OneNewsNow from Paris.

"The Council of Europe and their different committees basically make recommendations," Meaney explains. "They're a little like the United Nations in that way. They don't have that much binding authority. They'd like to have it but they don't have it yet."

However, Meaney says the Council has other ways of applying pressure, for example, voting for an economic boycott of a country. Or if countries are not toeing the line of the council's goals, the Council may put them on probation or rescind their ability to vote.

"They did that to Russia with the problems with Ukraine," Meaney says.

The overriding question, Meaney suggests, is why not leave Ireland alone to establish its laws based on its own moral code, rather than have forces pressuring them to conform to someone else's thinking. The latest action comes as a citizen's assembly established by the government is expected to make a recommendation this month.