It’s been a long road to Ireland’s abortion referendum – so what will happen now?

It's been a long road to Ireland's abortion referendum - so what will happen now?

Ann Furedi, Chief Executive of Bpas
30 January 2018

I became a pro-choice advocate 30 years ago, when I met a girl of my age who had been sent to a young mothers’ home in England before her pregnancy was visible. She had been told to stay there until she ‘looked normal again’ so no one would know her family’s shame.

So, when I heard that the Irish Prime Minister has confirmed a referendum that could change the country's laws that all but ban abortion and enable women's access to terminations, I thought - at last.

Continued: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/long-road-irelands-abortion-referendum-will-happen-now/

Ireland to hold May referendum on abortion law reform

Ireland to hold May referendum on abortion law reform

National plebiscite on abolishing eighth amendment and allowing terminations up to 12 weeks

Henry McDonald Ireland correspondent
Mon 29 Jan 2018

Ireland will hold a referendum in May on reforming the country’s strict anti-abortion laws, according to the country’s health minister.

Simon Harris confirmed on Monday that the national plebiscite will also allow for the Irish parliament to later devise legislation that would permit abortion in Ireland’s hospitals for women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant.

The Fine Gael-led administration met to discuss the terms of the referendum to abolish the eighth amendment of the Irish constitution.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/29/ireland-to-greenlight-referendum-on-abortion-law-reform

29.01.2018

Ireland: Concern that abortion proposal a step too far – Varadkar

Concern that abortion proposal a step too far - Varadkar
Wednesday, 10 Jan 2018

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said there is concern among many politicians that the proposal to allow abortions in Ireland without restrictions up to 12 weeks may go one step too far for the majority of the public.

Mr Varadkar said this recommendation went further than he and many people would have anticipated a year or two ago.

Continued at source: https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0110/932212-eighth-amendment-abortion/

10.01.2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee

Simon Harris

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

Irish Lawmakers Back Repeal of Abortion Ban

Irish Lawmakers Back Repeal of Abortion Ban

By ED O’LOUGHLIN (Web Summary: A parliamentary committee also said a woman should be able to terminate a pregnancy up to the 12th week.) December 14, 2017

DUBLIN — An Irish parliamentary committee recommended on Wednesday that a constitutional ban on abortion be repealed, paving the way for the liberalization of one of the world’s strictest abortion laws.

The committee recommended removing the provision in the Irish Constitution that gives a fetus and the mother an equal legal right to life, which has been the law since 1983. That provision has been used to ban abortion in all circumstances, including rape, incest, fatal fetal abnormality and any risk to the life of the mother.

Continued at source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/13/irish-lawmakers-back-repeal-abortion-ban/TK3ik8LUnFoEr96NXmi6CJ/story.html

Ireland: Pressure increases on Government after committee votes on abortion

Pressure increases on Government after committee votes on abortion
Possible dates for referendum on Eighth Amendment are May 14th and June 8th

Dec 14, 2017
Sarah Bardon

The Oireachtas committee on the amendment has concluded that a number of significant changes should to be made to abortion laws in Ireland.

Pressure has increased on the Government to hold a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment and provide abortions up to 12 weeks following the recommendations of an Oireachtas committee.

The Oireachtas committee on the amendment has concluded that a number of significant changes should to be made to abortion laws in Ireland.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/pressure-increases-on-government-after-committee-votes-on-abortion-1.3326633

Ireland: No restriction on abortion in first 12 weeks, say TDs

No restriction on abortion in first 12 weeks, say TDs

Stephen O’Brien, Political Editor
December 10 2017

The Oireachtas committee on the eighth amendment is likely to vote in favour of abortion without restriction in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy when it agrees its final report on Wednesday.

Committee sources say there appears to be a majority in favour of accepting the recommendation of the citizens’ assembly that termination of pregnancy, without restriction, should be lawful up to 12 weeks’ gestation.

Continued at source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/no-restriction-on-abortion-in-first-12-weeks-say-tds-vkdrmtlf9

Ireland: Wavering pro-life TDs hold balance in vote to allow free abortion for all

Wavering pro-life TDs hold balance in vote to allow free abortion for all

Ellen Coyne, Senior Ireland Reporter
December 2 2017

Politicians could decide that abortion should be completely decriminalised in Ireland in a vote this month.

The move would mean that an unapproved abortion would no longer be a criminal offence and that the procedure would be covered by the same regulations as other medical procedures. It is understood that there is growing support for decriminalisaiton among Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

At least two TDs who described themselves as “pro-life” have now decided to fully support decriminalisation and free access to the procedure.

Continued at source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/wavering-pro-life-tds-hold-balance-in-vote-to-allow-free-abortion-for-all-06hxl3brz

Ireland: Majority would support abortion on demand, says Amnesty poll

Majority would support abortion on demand, says Amnesty poll
Red C Poll finds 85% of people support abortion choice if pregnancy is result of rape

Oct 31, 2017
Kitty Holland

A majority of people would support abortion on demand, a poll commissioned by Amnesty International and published on Wednesday has found.

The Red C Poll of 1,000 adults, conducted by telephone between October 16th and 19th, found that 60 per cent of people believe women should have abortion on demand, either outright or within gestational limits.

Its findings, said executive director of Amnesty International Ireland Colm O’Gorman, show the public strongly support “women making their own decisions about their pregnancies”.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/majority-would-support-abortion-on-demand-says-amnesty-poll-1.3275762

31.10.2017

Amnesty International Ireland

Colm O'Gorman

Eighth Amendment

Red C Poll on abortion

UK: There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ abortion

There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ abortion
Rebecca Reid for Metro.co.uk
Tuesday 21 Mar 2017

'I feel like I shouldn’t get an abortion’ a friend told me, when she found herself pregnant in her early twenties.

‘It’s not like I’m that poor. Or single.’

Luckily the friend in question had an abortion. It was a quick, practical process and her life is better for it. But what she said has stayed with me.

There is a concept, one that many of us carry, that there are ‘good’ reasons to get an abortion.

Continued at source: Metro UK: http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/21/there-is-no-good-reason-to-have-an-abortion-6522171/

21.03.2017