Ireland – Harris seeks availability of second doctor in abortion cases

Harris seeks availability of second doctor in abortion cases

Thursday, 29 Nov 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

The Minister for Health has put forward an amendment to the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill allowing a second practitioner to carry out an abortion procedure if the first practitioner is unavailable.

The amendment relates to the three day wait period, which allows for 72 hours between a woman's first visit and the second visit.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1128/1013989-abortion-dail/

Ireland – Public funding of abortion services raised in Dáil

Public funding of abortion services raised in Dáil

Tuesday, 27 Nov 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

Public funding of abortion services was raised during a Dáil debate on the report stage of the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill.

The debate was the last opportunity for TDs to make amendments to the legislation.

continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1127/1013780-dail-debate-abortion-bill/

Ireland – Bill to legalise abortion services introduced in Dáil

Bill to legalise abortion services introduced in Dáil

Thursday, 4 Oct 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

The Minister for Health has introduced the Regulation of the Termination of Pregnancy Bill in the Dáil, which seeks to legalise abortion services in Ireland.

Simon Harris said legislators in the national parliament hold a privileged position, especially when acting on the instruction of the people in a referendum.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1004/1000958-abortion/

Ireland – Latest: Taoiseach ‘hiding truth about abortion proposal’, says Love Both campaign

Latest: Taoiseach 'hiding truth about abortion proposal', says Love Both campaign

Apr 22, 2018

The Love Both campaign has today accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of keeping the public in the dark about what repeal of the Eighth Amendment would mean.

This weekend, the Taoiseach claimed that if the referendum passed, it "does not mean there will be no restrictions".

Continued: http://www.eveningecho.ie/nationalnews/Latest-Taoiseach-hiding-truth-about-abortion-proposal-says-Love-Both-campaign-13dcbd10-85b8-4917-9d7a-887e6a3d5b25-ds

Ireland – Abortion referendum to go ahead following Dáil vote

Abortion referendum to go ahead following Dáil vote
Vote to hold referendum passes by 97 to 27, with 16 Fianna Fáil TDs voting against

Wed, Mar 21, 2018
Sarah Bardon, Marie O'Halloran, Michael O'Regan

TDs voted by 97 to 27 on Wednesday night to allow a referendum on abortion to go ahead.

After numerous votes in the Dáil, 16 Fianna Fáil TDs voted against the legislation, five fewer than in a vote earlier in the day.

The Bill now goes to the Seanad.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/abortion-referendum-to-go-ahead-following-d%C3%A1il-vote-1.3435008

Ireland – Abortion referendum: Many minds not made up

Abortion referendum: Many minds not made up
Most young, urban dwellers favour repeal, but in rural areas the ‘12 weeks issue’ is key

March 16, 2018
Harry McGee Political Correspondent

The phrase “silent majority” has fallen out of fashion in Ireland in recent times. US president Richard Nixon popularised it the 1960s, when he claimed a majority of Americans were conservative by instinct but didn’t voice their opinions publicly as did the liberal minority.

During the 1983 debate on the Eighth Amendment, the outspoken Fine Gael TD and anti-abortion campaigner Alice Glenn used the phrase to great effect.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/abortion-referendum-many-minds-not-made-up-1.3429636

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: 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: Three FF committee members want to make abortion available up to 12 weeks without restriction

Three FF committee members want to make abortion available up to 12 weeks without restriction
Submission recommends GP-led service up to 12 weeks for terminations without reason

Dec 9, 2017
Sarah Bardon

Three Fianna Fáil members of the Oireachtas committee on the Eighth Amendment have called for it to support making abortion available up to 12 weeks without restriction.

In a joint submission to the committee, Senator Ned O’Sullivan and TDs Billy Kelleher and Lisa Chambers outline their belief that terminations should be accessible when the life and the health of a mother is at risk. There should be no distinction between the mental or physical health of the mother, they add.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/three-ff-committee-members-want-to-make-abortion-available-up-to-12-weeks-without-restriction-1.3320733

Ireland: Abortion committee nears conclusion but far from consensus

Abortion committee nears conclusion but far from consensus
Members agree on holding referendum, but diverge on scrapping Eighth Amendment

Dec 6, 2017
Sarah Bardon

The Oireachtas committee examining the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution is nearing its final conclusions – but a consensus is far from clear.

The 20-member committee has spent the past three months hearing from experts, and will vote on its final report, which must be submitted to the Dáil by December 20th.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-committee-nears-conclusion-but-far-from-consensus-1.3316913