Ireland – Ivana Bacik: How abortion campaign went from ‘desperately lonely’ to ‘tremendously positive’

On a political level, there was very little to cling to as an abortion activist in the 80s and 90s, she says, and religion of course played a large part in that.

May 27, 2023

LABOUR LEADER IVANA Bacik spoke to The Journal about how the route to abortion rights went from being a “desperately lonely” movement on the periphery of society to becoming a mainstream political issue.

The subject of access to abortion stills holds the public’s attention today with a recent review finding that issues such as geographic location, the three-day waiting period and other obstacles still impede women’s access to abortion services.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/ivana-bacik-interview-abortion-rights-ireland-6077186-May2023/

Ireland – The Changemakers: The woman who took on the State – and won access to contraception for all

When Customs officials seized the spermicidal jelly mother-of-four May McGee had ordered from the UK on the advice of a doctor, she was livid and took action that led to lasting change, writes Clodagh Finn

SUN, 13 NOV, 2022

It’s striking to hear May McGee describe how she coped with having four babies in just 23 months, between December 1968 and November 1970. “I used to feed them one, two, three, four,” she says recalling how the little bundles were lined up in the family mobile home at Loughshinny in north county Dublin.

“Four bottles, four nappies,” she says, and then makes four gestures, showing how she turned over each baby to wind it.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/people/arid-41000651.html

Ireland – ‘Threat of criminal sanctions’ hangs over medical practitioners who provide abortion services

1 May 2022
Carlow Live

The threat of criminal sanctions hangs over medical practitioners who provide abortion services in Ireland, politicians have been told.

Alison Spillane, a senior policy and research officer at the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), described to the Oireachtas Health Committee how the fear of prosecution “sits in the consultation room” between patient and doctor.

Continued: https://www.carlowlive.ie/news/local-news/802205/threat-of-criminal-sanctions-hangs-over-medical-practitioners-who-provide-abortion-services.html

Ireland – Politicians set to hear calls for less restrictive abortion regime

Women’s council plans to address 12-week limit and poor national coverage

Tue, Apr 26, 2022
Cormac McQuinn

Politicians will hear calls for a less restrictive abortion regime, including extending the current 12-week limit to allow terminations on request “up to viability”.

The National Women’s Council (NWC) and the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) will suggest reforms to the rules on abortion when representatives appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee on Wednesday.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/politicians-set-to-hear-calls-for-less-restrictive-abortion-regime-1.4862475

Ireland – ’Frightening’ language and no abortion information: Warning issued over rogue pregnancy services

Women who have inadvertently engaged with these groups have found the experience “extremely distressing”.

January 17, 2021

THE HSE HAS issued a warning about unregulated crisis pregnancy services which present themselves as unbiased but have an anti-abortion stance.

A number of these services have profiles on social media and also advertise with stickers and posters in Dublin and other locations.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/unregulated-crisis-pregnancy-services-in-ireland-5650166-Jan2022/

Ireland’s abortion laws ‘still failing women who struggle to access services’

The Irish Family Planning Association has called for a full decriminalisation of services

Cate McCurry
Jan 3, 2022

Ireland’s abortion laws are still failing women who struggle to access services, a family planning group has said, because of a lack of provision and time restrictions on terminations.

Niall Behan, chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), called for a full decriminalisation of abortion services in the country.

Continued: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ireland-dublin-brexit-department-of-health-b1985818.html?r=71510

Ireland – Permanent use of telemedicine in abortion care is a positive, patient-centred step

The Department of Health has said telemedicine abortion will 'lapse' once the pandemic ends - this would be a mistake, writes Alison Spillane of the Irish Family Planning Association.

MON, 24 MAY, 2021
ALISON SPILLANE

Abortion has been available in Ireland since January 2019. Telemedicine abortion has been an option for almost half of that time. It expands patient choices and supports reproductive autonomy. Yet, women and pregnant people might be summarily deprived of this critical innovation.

Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, the HSE revised the model of care for abortion services to allow doctors to provide care via phone or video consultations. “Telemedicine abortion”, both as a primary mode of care delivery and in combination with in-person care, has enabled community providers of early abortion care to maintain an essential health service, while minimising the risk of Covid-19 exposure for both patients and staff.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40297127.html

Ireland’s new abortion service is the envy of many healthcare systems

Ireland’s new abortion service is the envy of many healthcare systems
I am incredibly proud as a GP to be part of something so worthwhile and rewarding

Thu, Feb 21, 2019
Mark Murphy

I never thought I would be a provider of abortion services. It’s not that surprising really. Abortion was not mentioned once in the medical curriculum when I qualified 14 years ago. It was an unspoken phenomenon, a secret reality. Before I became a GP, I never had a real conversation about abortion. It’s astonishing to consider that fact now, knowing that 25 million unsafe abortions happen each year, mostly in developing countries. High-profile legal cases, such as the X Case, were not seen as healthcare issues by our profession.

The threat of criminalisation contributed to this silence– a chilling effect, with doctors worried if they provided information or if they acted outside of the constitutional restraints, imposed by the Eighth Amendment. Though there are notable exceptions, including the Irish Family Planning Association, it is a sad epitaph that it took so long for the medical profession to find its voice.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/ireland-s-new-abortion-service-is-the-envy-of-many-healthcare-systems-1.3800440

21.02.2019

Featured

Opinion

abortion referendum

Abortion Rights Campaign

abortion services in Ireland

Eighth Amendment

GPs and abortion

Irish Family Planning Association

Mark Murphy

World Health Organization

Europe

Ireland

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 law change: Is Northern Ireland really next?

Abortion law change: Is Northern Ireland really next?
Pro-choice activists in the North hope a string of court cases will advance their cause

Sat, Jan 12, 2019
Susan McKay

On the 29th of this month, Sarah Ewart will appear before the High court in Belfast to present her case that women in Northern Ireland should have access to rights enjoyed by women in all other parts of the United Kingdom.

Ewart is bracing herself – this appearance, while demanding, will be infinitely less agonising than other ordeals she has been through. Five years ago, aged 23, the Belfast woman travelled to an abortion clinic in England to terminate a much wanted pregnancy that was otherwise going to end with the birth of a baby with a foetal abnormality.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/abortion-law-change-is-northern-ireland-really-next-1.3753579