Ireland – Abortion: Women nine weeks pregnant may be referred to obstetrician

Abortion: Women nine weeks pregnant may be referred to obstetrician
Minister appeals for colleagues to continue to be ‘constructive not obstructive’ in abortion debate

Thu, Oct 4, 2018
Marie O'Halloran

Women between nine and 12 weeks pregnant seeking an abortion may be referred to a consultant obstetrician, Minister for Health Simon Harris has indicated.

Mr Harris was introducing the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill, which gives effect to the outcome of the abortion referendum when 66 per cent of voters supported abortion. He said TDs were making history in bringing the legislation forward to allow for abortion services in Ireland and repealing the Eighth Amendment after 35 years in the Constitution.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/abortion-women-nine-weeks-pregnant-may-be-referred-to-obstetrician-1.3651724


Ireland – No abortion legislation until all court challenges have ended

No abortion legislation until all court challenges have ended
Minister for Health plans to publish legislation in early July regardless of court actions

June 14, 2018
Sarah Bardon

The Government cannot introduce legislation to allow for abortion services until all court challenges to the result of the referendum on the Eighth Amendment are concluded, The Irish Times has learned.

The referendum, which paved the way for liberalising the State’s strict abortion laws, was passed by a near two-to-one majority last month, but there have been a number of court challenges to the result.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/no-abortion-legislation-until-all-court-challenges-have-ended-1.3529605


Ireland – Yes campaign’s outreach to middle ground delivered the landslide

Yes campaign’s outreach to middle ground delivered the landslide
Undecideds swung in huge numbers to Yes, as politicians struggled to keep up with pace of change

May 27, 2018
Pat Leahy

Politicians and politics are playing catch-up, following Friday’s vote. It happened before, with contraception, divorce and homosexuality. Now it has happened with abortion.

It’s not so much that the vote will change our society, but rather that it signals that society has already changed. It has conceded to women power over their own lives that had been previously withheld by the State.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/yes-campaign-s-outreach-to-middle-ground-delivered-the-landslide-1.3510338


How the Yes and No sides won and lost the abortion referendum

How the Yes and No sides won and lost the abortion referendum

Harry McGee: Smiling Savita portraits proclaiming a new reality for Ireland
May 26, 2018

Harry McGee Political Correspondent

In the last few days of the referendum campaign on the Eight Amendment dozens of small posters appeared around Dublin.

The image was of Savita Halappanavar, instantly recognisable from her thick dark hair, wide smile, smiling eyes, and the Bindi dot on the forehead. The message contained one word: Yes. They were striking in their simplicity and directness.

The Savita case (read Kitty Holland’s report from 2012 here) was never too far away from people’s minds during the eight weeks that this extraordinary referendum campaign seeped into Irish public consciousness on doorsteps, in the streets, in the media, or on the airwaves… right up to polling day.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/how-the-yes-and-no-sides-won-and-lost-the-abortion-referendum-1.3509924


Fact check: Would abortion law in Ireland be as liberal as Britain’s?

Fact check: Would abortion law in Ireland be as liberal as Britain’s?
Britain has one of most unrestricted abortion regimes in EU. That’s not on the way here

May 22, 2018
Sarah Bardon Political Reporter

Question: Will Ireland introduce an abortion law similar to Britain’s?

A claim is being made that Ireland will introduce abortion laws as liberal as are in place in Britain. Who is making this claim?

This has been made by several campaigners opposing the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, including members of the Catholic Church, politicians and the Love Both campaign.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fact-check-would-abortion-law-in-ireland-be-as-liberal-as-britain-s-1.3504653


Ireland – Fears pro-life TDs will block abortion laws until election

Fears pro-life TDs will block abortion laws until election
McGrath will question 'every syllable' of any new legislation

Philip Ryan
May 20 2018

There are serious fears in Cabinet that pro-life TDs will move to prevent abortion legislation being enacted before the next general election if the referendum passes next week.

The Government is eager to pass the new law before the country next goes to the polls but there are serious concerns that filibustering by anti-abortion TDs will prevent plans for an early election.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/abortion-referendum/fears-prolife-tds-will-block-abortion-laws-until-election-36926490.html


Ireland – Anti-abortion TDs in talks to form cross-party alliance

Anti-abortion TDs in talks to form cross-party alliance
Anti-abortion TDs from across political divide ponder joining forces to oppose abortion

Fri, Mar 23, 2018
Sarah Bardon, Fiach Kelly

Anti-abortion TDs from different parties are discussing working together to oppose the removal of the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution.

A number of concerned deputies consulted this week before agreeing to vote in the Dáil against a proposal to hold a referendum on abortion.

Several Fianna Fail TDs privately confirmed to The Irish Times that there were talks ahead of a series of votes on the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/anti-abortion-tds-in-talks-to-form-cross-party-alliance-1.3437228


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


Striking the right tone is crucial in Eighth debate

Striking the right tone is crucial in Eighth debate
Now the Irish people know what they're being asked, campaigners should ease up on the melodrama, writes Eilis O'Hanlon

Eilis O'Hanlon
March 11 2018

Last week, the Taoiseach ticked a few more items off his To Do list. Thursday's special Cabinet meeting was finally able to rubber-stamp the wording for the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment, following the Supreme Court's ruling in a separate case that unborn children do not have rights in the Constitution beyond the right to life.

The main policy paper, outlining the key points that will be included in subsequent legislation, was also approved. As a result, Minister for Health Simon Harris was free to bring the 36th Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018 to the Dail on Friday for a Second Stage reading and debate.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/striking-the-right-tone-is-crucial-in-eighth-debate-36691949.html


Ireland – Abortion referendum: Phoney war prevails until legislation is clear

Abortion referendum: Phoney war prevails until legislation is clear
The 12-week stance and the notion of trust – coming from both sides – is crucial to debate

Mar 3, 2018
Fiach Kelly

Last November, a group of 15 to 20 people who have pressed for changes to Ireland’s abortion laws for decades sat in the headquarters of the National Women’s Council of Ireland in Smithfield to listen to a research briefing.

One of the key messages for the forthcoming campaign, according to sources, was that “some change is better than no change”, and that they must be willingness to settle for less than some of them have long wanted.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/abortion-referendum-phoney-war-prevails-until-legislation-is-clear-1.3413360