Abortion, Newly Legal in Ireland, Faces Old Roadblocks

Abortion, Newly Legal in Ireland, Faces Old Roadblocks

By Ceylan Yeginsu
Jan. 28, 2019

DUBLIN — The abortion clinic’s website pops up at the top of a Google search for “free ultrasound,” its content and color scheme mimicking the government’s new support service for unplanned pregnancy.

“Looking for abortion advice?” “How far along am I?” The bright orange speech bubbles attached to stock images of smiling medical experts purport to inform women about abortion options that became legally available in Ireland on Jan. 1.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/europe/ireland-abortion.html

Abortion in Ireland: Four weeks in, how’s it working?

Abortion in Ireland: Four weeks in, how’s it working?
Abortion has been legal in Ireland for almost a month, yet uncertainties and problems persist

Jan 26, 2019
Jennifer Bray

Next week will mark one month since the introduction of general abortion services for the first time in the history of the Irish State. In the final weeks of 2018, there were dire warnings from senior medics and family doctors that the January 1st deadline was being “rushed” and was “dangerously unrealistic”.

Only nine maternity hospitals were ready to provide full access to abortion care, with the remaining 10 expected to come on board shortly. Some 240 general practitioners have now signed up to the service. Despite the less than comprehensive level of access, abortions are now happening across the country in hospitals and in general practices.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/abortion-in-ireland-four-weeks-in-how-s-it-working-1.3770442

Ireland – Eilis O’Hanlon: ‘Abortion battle is won, so what’s next on the agenda?’

Eilis O'Hanlon: 'Abortion battle is won, so what's next on the agenda?'
Those who campaigned to liberalise Irish abortion law are now in charge and will have no one else to blame for what goes wrong

Eilis O'Hanlon
January 6 2019

It may be the most overused word in politics, but, if anything deserves to be called "historic", the launch of legal abortion services in Ireland undoubtedly qualifies.

As of the first day of January, Irish women will now be offered terminations of pregnancy free of charge at home rather than having to travel to another country, and 20 of them called the HSE-funded MyOptions hotline in the first 24 hours of 2019 to speak to counsellors.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/eilis-ohanlon-abortion-battle-is-won-so-whats-next-on-the-agenda-37683895.html

06.01.2019

Opinion

Bpas

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Eilis O'Hanlon

Irish abortion legislation

Ireland – Health Minister to ban protests at abortion providers

Health Minister to ban protests at abortion providers

Friday, December 28, 2018
By Elaine Loughlin

The Government hopes to fast-track the introduction of safe access zones to prevent protests outside hospitals and clinics that provide abortion services.

Health Minister Simon Harris had hoped to pass legislation to ban such demonstrations in tandem with the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill, which will come into force from January 1.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/health-minister-to-ban-protests-at-abortion-providers-894311.html

Ireland – Abortion guidelines for girls under 15 cause unease among doctors

Abortion guidelines for girls under 15 cause unease among doctors
Access to services without parental consent to be had in ‘exceptional circumstances’

Dec 23, 2018
Paul Cullen

Girls aged 15 and under will be able to get an abortion without the involvement of their parents or another adult “in exceptional circumstances”, according to the Health Service Executive guides to the termination of pregnancies.

A doctor offering the abortion to the young woman who chooses not to involve an adult is required to complete an assessment, the as-yet-unpublished guides state.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/abortion-guidelines-for-girls-under-15-cause-unease-among-doctors-1.3741095

FEATURE: Brilliant Letter to Irish Minister of Health Simon Harris

from the Abortion Support Network, London
19 December 2018

**********************************
6 December 2018

Dear Mr Simon Harris

You and I don’t know each other, although I follow you on Twitter. We share a common area of interest, or, if not interest, a common duty to protect.

I am not a health official or a medical professional. I am the founder of Abortion Support Network (www.asn.org.uk), the England-based charity that provides information on the least expensive methods of abortion and travel and money towards the E500 to E3000 it can cost to travel and pay privately for the procedure. We are a small organisation, without an office or a land line, and since we started in 2009 we have helped almost 5,000 people. The majority have been resident in the Republic of Ireland.

Continued: https://mailchi.mp/safeabortionwomensright/feature-brilliant-letter-to-irish-minister-of-health-simon-harris-from-the-abortion-support-network-london-19-december-2018?e=372dd34034

‘Sheer Joy’: Ireland Will Have Free Abortion Care on January 1

‘Sheer Joy’: Ireland Will Have Free Abortion Care on January 1

Dec 17, 2018
Sarah Jaffe

Abortion in Ireland will be free, safe, and legal up to 12 weeks into pregnancy starting January 1, a major blow to the Catholic Church and opponents of the country’s abortion rights law, who tried to drag out the legislative process with support from U.S. anti-choice advisers.

To Bríd Smith, People Before Profit member of Irish parliament, the repeal of the Eighth Amendment banning abortion in Ireland was “one of those rare moments in life when you feel such joy, the sheer joy of beating back the Catholic Church’s agenda, really beating it back for once. And pride, because we put a huge amount of effort into it and had witnessed a new generation of young Irish people completely different to what we had known.”

Continued: https://rewire.news/article/2018/12/17/sheer-joy-ireland-will-have-free-abortion-care-on-january-1/

Ireland – Quarter of abortion-services GPs yet to agree helpline sign-up

Quarter of abortion-services GPs yet to agree helpline sign-up
HSE hoping more GPs who have agreed to provide services will sign up to helpline

Dec 17, 2018
Jennifer Bray

About a quarter of general practitioners who signed up to provide abortion services have not yet agreed to have their name made available for a new helpline. However, the majority – 75 per cent – of GPs who have signed up have said they are satisfied to do so.

The helpline will provide information to women when they call looking for guidance on where to access abortion care.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/quarter-of-abortion-services-gps-yet-to-agree-helpline-sign-up-1.3734711

17.12.2018

Health Service Executive

Irish abortion legislation

public information campaign

Ireland – At least 2,500 women may seek an abortion next year

At least 2,500 women may seek an abortion next year

Eilish O'Regan
December 15 2018

More than 2,500 women may seek a medical abortion from a GP or maternity hospital next year.

The figure is based on the number of early terminations recorded by UK clinics last year among women who travelled from the Republic of Ireland.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/at-least-2500-women-may-seek-an-abortion-next-year-37628388.html

Ireland’s Bill Legalizing Abortion Has Made It Through The Parliament After A Historic Vote

Ireland's Bill Legalizing Abortion Has Made It Through The Parliament After A Historic Vote

By Seth Millstein
Dec 14, 2018

Six months after Irish voters abolished the country's constitutional ban on abortion, a bill in Ireland legalizing abortion has passed parliament, paving the way for the procedure to be widely available in the conservative Catholic country. Prime Miniser Leo Varadkar celebrated the bill's passage on Twitter, and President Michael D. Higgins, a longtime supporter of abortion rights, is expected to sign it into law.

"This is a genuinely historic moment," Health Minister Simon Harris, who helped shepherd the bill through parliament, told the Irish Times. "It is the start of a new era for women’s healthcare." On Twitter, Harris characterized the bill's passage as a "vote to end lonely journeys, end the stigma and support women’s choices in our own country."

Continued: https://www.bustle.com/p/irelands-bill-legalizing-abortion-has-made-it-through-the-parliament-after-a-historic-vote-15530341