Ahead of the abortion referendum, Ireland explains #WhoNeedsYourYes

Ahead of the abortion referendum, Ireland explains #WhoNeedsYourYes
Supporters of the Yes campaign are dedicating their votes to the women they want to help

By Emily Baker
on 14.05.18

It’s now just under two weeks until Irish citizens will vote on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment in their constitution and allow the government to make abortion legal up to 12 weeks. And as the No campaign becomes more and more malicious, those in favour of a change in law are choosing a more altruistic approach with the Twitter hashtag #WhoNeedsYourYes.

Those intending to vote Yes are using the hashtag to shine a light on the women who will ultimately benefit from legal abortion, with high-profile and everyday voters raising their voices:

Continued: https://www.the-pool.com/news-views/latest-news/2018/20/Emily-Baker-on-who-needs-your-yes

14.05.2018

social media and the referendum

Ireland: Dáil to debate recommendation of abortion committee in January

Dáil to debate recommendation of abortion committee in January
Minister for Health Simon Harris says Ireland is perceived as ‘isolating and cold’

Dec 29, 2017
Vivienne Clarke

Minister for Health Simon Harris has repeated his personal view that he supports the recommendation by the Oireachtas Committee that abortion should be available up to 12 weeks.

Three days of debate on the Committee’s report will be held when the Dáil resumes in January he told RTÉ’s News at One and the matter will also be discussed by the Cabinet.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/d%C3%A1il-to-debate-recommendation-of-abortion-committee-in-january-1.3340498

29.12.2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee

Ireland: Abortion and the eighth amendment: putting it up to the politicians

Abortion and the eighth amendment: putting it up to the politicians
The abortion committee has voted in favour of repealing the eighth amendment — now it’s up to the Dail

Justine McCarthy
December 17 2017

After 13 weeks, 16 meetings, 47 witnesses and sporadic outbreaks of umbrage, a stunned silence suddenly descended on committee room three in the basement of Leinster House on Wednesday evening. The Oireachtas committee on the eighth amendment had just voted to recommend the repeal of the constitution's most divisive clause, the 34-year ban on abortion.

“Should we clap or what?” asked Brid Smith, a Solidarity-People Before Profit TD who has told how she took a boat to England in 1985 to have a pregnancy terminated. Laughter rippled through the public gallery and around the horseshoe-shaped committee desk. It stopped where Rónán Mullen, an independent senator, and the TDs Mattie McGrath, an independent, and Peter Fitzpatrick of Fine Gael sat together, stony-faced.

Continued at source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/abortion-and-the-eighth-amendment-putting-it-up-to-the-politicians-fjz8f0pzm

Ireland: State risks further abortion compo after €30k payout

State risks further abortion compo after €30k payout
Thursday, November 09, 2017

By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Irish Examiner Political Correspondent

Ireland is at risk of having to pay compensation to thousands of women forced to travel abroad to receive an abortion unless the law is immediately changed to make the procedure legal and easily accessible.

The US-based Centre for Reproductive Rights (CRR) made the claim after the State paid out €30,000 over an abortion case, for only the second time in its history, in response to a UN ruling on the matter.

Continued at source: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/state-risks-further-abortion-compo-after-30k-payout-462516.html

Ireland: Tensions over witnesses’ letters at Eighth Amendment committee

Tensions over witnesses' letters at Eighth Amendment committee
Updated / Wednesday, 8 Nov 2017

Chair of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment has told members that she will not be reading letters of witnesses into the record of the committee, if they choose not to attend.

Senator Catherine Noone was returning to an earlier request by Deputy Mattie McGrath of the Rural Independent Group, who requested that letters be those who did not attend today be read by the chair.

Continued at source: https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1108/918537-oireachtas-eighth-amendment-committee/

State pays €30k in compensation to woman denied abortion in Ireland

State pays €30k in compensation to woman denied abortion in Ireland

Shane Phelan
November 7 2017

The State has paid €30,000 in compensation to a woman who had to travel to the UK for an abortion after a fatal foetal abnormality diagnosis.

The settlement with Siobhan Whelan was agreed in recent days, Independent.ie has learned.

It also involves a commitment to fund supports for the Co Wexford woman.

Continued at source: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/state-pays-30k-in-compensation-to-woman-denied-abortion-in-ireland-36298487.html

07.11.2017

Centre for Reproductive Rights

Eighth Amendment

Siobhán Whelan

UN Human Rights Committee

UK: Woman paid €30,000 over having to travel for abortion

Woman paid €30,000 over having to travel for abortion
UN Human Rights Committee case concerns abortion in UK for fatal foetal abnormality

Nov 7, 2017
Pat Leahy

The Government has paid €30,000 in compensation to a woman who travelled to the UK for an abortion after a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality.

Siobhan Whelan, who successfully took a case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee earlier this year, has also been offered access to counselling services.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/woman-paid-30-000-over-having-to-travel-for-abortion-1.3283416

07.11.2017

UN Human Rights Committee

UN highlights the shame of Ireland’s harsh abortion laws

UN highlights the shame of Ireland’s harsh abortion laws
13 June 2017

A ruling issued today by the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) that Ireland’s harsh abortion laws violated the human rights of an Irish woman is yet another reminder of the desperate need for reform, Amnesty International said.

The UNHRC ordered that Ireland redress the harm it caused to Siobhán Whelan, who was forced to travel to the UK for an abortion in 2010, including by reforming its abortion laws to prevent similar violations happening to other women.

“This is the second case within a year where the UN has found Ireland’s abortion laws to be grossly out of step with its international human rights obligations. While we welcome this ruling, it is outrageous that women have to go to the UN to have their human rights respected. How many more women will have to suffer before the Irish government opens its eyes?” said Gauri Van Gulik, Amnesty International’s Deputy Europe Director.

Continued at source: Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/06/un-highlights-the-shame-of-irelands-harsh-abortion-laws/

Abortion in Ireland: committee votes for constitutional change

Abortion in Ireland: committee votes for constitutional change

Citizens’ Assembly votes 87% in favour of advising government to change eighth amendment on right to life
Nadia Khomami and agency

Saturday 22 April 2017

A committee set up to deliberate on Ireland’s strict abortion regime has voted for the constitutional rules to be changed.

The Citizens’ Assembly, a randomly selected group of 99 members of the public chaired by the supreme court judge Mary Laffoy, met on Saturday to discuss the contentious issue for the final time.

At the heart of the assembly’s work is examining the eighth amendment to the republic’s constitution, which gives equal right to life to the mother and the foetus. In the first of a series of votes by members on whether to advise constitutional reform, the assembly voted 87% in favour of change.

Continued at link: The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/22/abortion-in-ireland-committee-votes-for-constitutional-change

22.04.2017

Ireland: State shelves cash aid plan in abortion cases

State shelves cash aid plan in abortion cases
Department won't pay to repatriate remains in cases of fatal foetal abnormality

Mark O'Regan

April 2 2017 2:30 AM

Women who have UK abortions involving a fatal foetal abnormality will not have the remains repatriated to Ireland at the State's expense.

Last year, the Department of Health said such a proposal was receiving active consideration following the high-profile case of Amanda Mellet.

The Irishwoman made headlines worldwide after the UN found she suffered discrimination, plus cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, having been forced to travel to the UK to terminate a pregnancy. Her foetus had been diagnosed as having a fatal abnormality.

Continued at source: The Independent: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/state-shelves-cash-aid-plan-in-abortion-cases-35585951.html

02.04.2017