Five years after Ireland’s historic abortion referendum, access to care is still ‘patchy’

By Niamh Kennedy and Emily Blumenthal, CNN
Thu May 25, 2023

In 2018, the Irish public voted overwhelmingly to repeal the country’s Eighth Amendment, overturning one of the strictest abortion bans in the European Union. There were scenes of jubilation as the referendum result was announced, with many in Ireland seeing it as a historic step that would give women control over their own bodies.

But five years on, although abortion is free and legally available in Ireland up to 12 weeks of pregnancy – after that allowed only in exceptional circumstances, if there is a risk to the mother’s life or the fetus is not expected to survive – the abortion system is still far from where campaigners and charities would like it to be.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/25/europe/ireland-abortion-referendum-5-years-intl-cmd/index.html

‘Extremely reckless’: Anti-abortion campaign calls for remote consultations to stop

During Covid pandemic, women seeking abortions did not need to visit GP in person

Sarah Burns
Sat Nov 12 2022

An anti-abortion campaign has described plans to continue remote consultations for women seeking access to abortion care in the State as “extremely reckless”.

Women seeking an abortion during the coronavirus pandemic did not need to visit a GP in person, but this measure was due to lapse following the end of Covid 19 travel restrictions.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2022/11/12/extremely-reckless-anti-abortion-campaign-calls-for-remote-consultations-to-stop/

Five maternity hospitals will not provide abortions until next year

Ellen Coyne
October 24 2022

Five of the country’s maternity hospitals will not be providing abortion services until next year at the earliest, amid conscientious objection from individual obstetricians and a lack of resources.

Another two maternity hospitals are still in talks with the HSE to try to roll out termination of pregnancy services next year, three years after free access to abortion was first legalised in Ireland.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/five-maternity-hospitals-will-not-provide-abortions-until-next-year-42089657.html

24.10.2022

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Facebook Ireland to investigate ads on ‘abortion pill reversal’

Three such adverts appeared on the platform here reaching ‘up to’ three million people

Wed, Oct 6, 2021
Mark Hilliard

Facebook Ireland has said it will investigate claims of ads posted to promote controversial abortion pill “reversal” procedures.

The social media company’s ad library recently showed records of 92 such ads in the US which, according to its own analytics, were viewed by users up to 18.4 million times since January, 2020.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/facebook-ireland-to-investigate-ads-on-abortion-pill-reversal-1.4692164

06.10.2021

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Malta looks to Ireland in campaign for legal abortion

Malta looks to Ireland in campaign for legal abortion

Monday, 25 May 2020
By Ailbhe Conneely, Social Affairs & Religion Correspondent

The second anniversary of the referendum on the 8th amendment has arrived, and has barely made a dent in the news coverage due to Covid-19.

Arguably, the appetite for the story is no longer there, but it is a topic that will never be far from the headlines.

Legislation underpinning the current service will be reviewed next year, for example.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2020/0525/1141515-abortion/

Ireland – Amy Dunne on her lonely, harrowing abortion fight: ‘I was told I would be done for murder’

Amy Dunne on her lonely, harrowing abortion fight: 'I was told I would be done for murder'
At 17, Dunne was pregnant with a baby who had a fatal abnormality. She was given a pseudonym and became the focus of a landmark Irish legal case – but now she is reclaiming her story

Rory Carroll
Thu 5 Dec 2019

The week Amy Dunne turned 17, she was several months pregnant and made two discoveries – one devastating and the other incomprehensible. A hospital scan showed something badly wrong in her womb. The foetus had anencephaly, a fatal abnormality. Doctors said the baby, a girl, would die soon after birth.

Although she was living in foster care and still a child herself, Dunne had looked forward to becoming a mother and building a new life with her boyfriend. Distraught, she shared the news with her social workers and said she needed to travel to Britain from Ireland for an abortion. That’s when Dunne discovered something badly wrong in her country.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/dec/05/amy-dunne-miss-d-abortion-told-would-be-done-for

Why Ireland’s battle over abortion is far from over

Why Ireland’s battle over abortion is far from over
From sham websites to rogue crisis pregnancy centres, Irish anti-abortionists are using shocking tactics to block women’s rights to safe abortions

Caelainn Hogan
Thu 3 Oct 2019

It has been more than a year since the landslide vote for abortion rights in Ireland, yet last weekend hundreds of people were once more marching through the streets of Dublin, chanting: “Get your rosaries off our ovaries!” “It’s nonsense, what are they marching for?” a guard standing on the road outside the National maternity hospital asked a colleague on a motorbike – referring to the 2018 referendum in which the Irish public voted overwhelmingly to repeal the law prohibiting abortion. The answer is that, while the law may have changed, many people are still struggling to access abortions in Ireland due to a lack of provision, the time restrictions on terminations, the illegal activities of anti-abortion campaigners – and an enduring legacy of shame.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/03/why-irelands-battle-over-abortion-is-far-from-over-anti-abortionists

Ireland – HSE looks to recruit clinical lead for abortion services rollout

HSE looks to recruit clinical lead for abortion services rollout
Nine months after service introduced part-time two-year position to be filled

Mon, Sep 2, 2019
Paul Cullen Health Editor

The Health Service Executive is seeking to recruit a clinical lead for abortion, nine months after the service was introduced.

The person appointed will be tasked with the rollout of termination of pregnancy services to all 19 maternity units, and nationally in GP surgeries and other community settings.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/hse-looks-to-recruit-clinical-lead-for-abortion-services-rollout-1.4004354

02.09.2019

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Ireland – Ten out of 19 maternity units have abortion services in place

Ten out of 19 maternity units have abortion services in place
The HSE has said that “service demand remains within the predicted limits” in relation to abortion services.

Apr 20, 2019

THERE ARE 10 maternity units providing abortion services out of a total of 19 units across the country, over three months after Ireland’s abortion laws have been legalised.

The HSE has said that nine maternity units had provided abortion services from the start of this year, and that one additional maternity unit had since begun to offer the service.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/rotunda-hospital-abortion-4578751-Apr2019/

Ireland – Anti-abortion activist vows to fight HSE over website

Anti-abortion activist vows to fight HSE over website

Saturday, February 23, 2019
By Caroline O'Doherty

The anti-abortion campaigner ordered by the High Court to stop using a website with a name similar to the HSE’s abortion advice service has said he will counter-sue the HSE for unlawful claim on the title.

Eamonn Murphy is temporarily injuncted from using the phrase “my options” — the name used by the HSE — but he has set up a new website, using the words ‘my abortion choices’.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/anti-abortion-activist-vows-to-fight-hse-over-website-906571.html