The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act may not come into effect for another three months, it has emerged.

Health Minister James Reilly has set up a committee to develop implementation guidelines for the Act.

However, it could be three months before these guidelines, which are necessary for the Act to be implemented, are drawn up.

The legislation which allows for abortions in circumstances where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother was signed into law by the President on July 30.

However, the Act has not yet formally been put into effect, as, according to the Department of Health, 'operational' issues still need to be addressed before it can be commenced.

The Minister has yet to sign the necessary regulations to put the provisions of the Act into operation.

It has now emerged that the Act cannot be put into place until the newly-appointed committee draws up implementation guidelines.

The Department told irishhealth.com that this committee had been asked to complete its work as soon as possible but no later than three months following its establishment.

As the committee was set up in mid-September, this means it could be late this year or early next year before the Act is ready to be put into effect.

The committee held its first meeting on Tuesday.

The Department has previously said that operational issues which still have to be sorted out before the abortion law can come into effect include the establishment of a panel of doctors for the purpose of the formal medical review provisions and administrative facilities to enable the review committee, drawn from the review panel, to perform its functions.

The review panels under the Act are to be utilised in cases where a termination is initially refused by a hospital.

However, there had been no indication until now of the need to set up a committee to develop implementation guidelines before the Act could come into effect.