A potentially suicidal pregnant 14-year-old in the care of the HSE in Dublin will be the subject of a court application this week to allow her to travel outside Ireland to have an abortion.

The teenager is understood to want to have the pregnancy terminated as soon as possible.

Her mother, however, is opposed to the abortion and this could complicate the case. Her father, who lives abroad, is supportive of his daughter's wishes.

The HSE is expected to make an application to the district court this week for permission for the girl to travel to have an abortion following a risk assessment of the teenager. The girl has undergone psychiatric assessment and has a history of mild self-harm.

When contacted, a spokes-man for the HSE could not comment on the information obtained by the Sunday Tribune.

"We do not comment on individual childcare cases in any way. The children in our care have a right to confidentiality. We don't comment on any speculation regarding a child's case."

The circumstances echo that of the C Case in 1997, when the then Eastern Health Board sought permission for a pregnant suicidal 13-year-old girl to travel for an abortion as a result of a rape. She was in the care of the Eastern Health Board at the time.

The original proceedings related not to the abortion itself but to her leaving the jurisdiction while subject to a care order.

The district court gave the young girl the go-ahead, but the matter became more complicated when her parents, originally supportive of her decision, made an application to the high court appealing it. The matter was settled in the high court, where the judge ruled that, as Miss C was likely to take her own life if forced to continue with the pregnancy, she was entitled to travel to Britain for an abortion, by virtue of the supreme court judgment in the X Case of 1992.

The X Case arose when the high court granted an injunction preventing a pregnant 14-year-old rape victim from leaving Ireland to have an abortion in England. Amid a massive public outcry, the supreme court overturned that decision two weeks later.

Miss X had a miscarriage shortly after the judgment, and before an abortion could be carried out.

In May 2007, the high court ruled that there was nothing to prevent a 17-year-old girl in the care of the HSE from travelling abroad for an abortion. The girl, known as Miss D, was four months pregnant with a child who could not survive after birth.

Various pro-choice and pro-life organisations contacted by the Sunday Tribune declined to comment on the current case as it has yet to be heard before the courts.

Richard Greene of anti-Lisbon treaty group Cóir, whose members are associated with the pro-life movement, said: "I often feel that theses girls are often used. I wonder what compassion the HSE have for these girls sometimes. I am speaking in my own personal capacity as a pro-life supporter and not as a member of Cóir."