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

‘Historic moment’ as Irish parliament legalises abortion

'Historic moment' as Irish parliament legalises abortion

December 14, 2018

Ireland’s parliament passed a landmark legislation to make abortion legal for the first time in the Catholic-majority country, a “historic moment” which came after an Indian dentist died from blood poisoning in 2012 when the doctors refused her repeated requests to abort the foetus.

Ireland voted decisively to change the Constitution to repeal the Eighth Amendment in May, with 66.4 per cent voting in favour of new legislation to allow for the termination of pregnancies.

“The bill that allows for the introduction of abortion services in Ireland has passed all stages of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) and will now go to President Michael D Higgins to be signed into law,” Irish Broadcaster RTE reported on Thursday.

Continued: https://www.rediff.com/news/report/historic-moment-as-irish-parliament-legalises-abortion/20181214.htm

Ireland – Abortion services available from January 1, but will be limited, Harris admits

Abortion services available from January 1, but will be limited, Harris admits

14/12/2018

Termination of pregnancy services will be available in Ireland from January 1 - but it will be a limited service, Health Minister Simon Harris has admitted.

The minister said it would “take time” for termination services to “fully embed” and be available in every hospital in the country.

Continued: https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/abortion-services-available-from-january-1-but-will-be-limited-harris-admits-892196.html

Ireland – Abortion: Wait rather than risk a tragedy

Abortion: Wait rather than risk a tragedy

Saturday, November 17, 2018

The Government hopes to pass abortion legislation before Christmas and Taoiseach Leo Varadakar has said he is confident the Government’s timeline to have pregnancy termination services available in January 2019 can be met.

Those are both big asks as the process of setting up the service has already met a number of hurdles. In the first instance, there remains a cohort of TDs and senators opposed to introducing abortion services here and they will do anything they can to stop or delay it.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/views/ourview/abortion-wait-rather-than-risk-a-tragedy-885875.html

Belfast court to hear landmark challenge over abortion rights

Belfast court to hear landmark challenge over abortion rights
Northern Ireland woman takes on decision to prosecute her for supplying pills to daughter

Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent
Thu 20 Sep 2018

A woman is challenging a decision to prosecute her for obtaining abortion pills for her pregnant underage daughter in a potential landmark case for abortion rights in Northern Ireland.

She will seek to overturn a decision by the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland to subject her to a criminal trial and the prospect of five years in prison for supplying the pills in 2013 to her then 15-year-old daughter, who terminated the pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/20/northern-ireland-woman-challenges-prosecution-buying-abortion-pills

Ireland – Health Minister: Charging for abortions would lead to private clinics popping up around the country

Health Minister: Charging for abortions would lead to private clinics popping up around the country

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Latest: The Health Minister says charging for abortions would lead to private clinics popping up around the country.

Yesterday the 8th amendment was officially removed from the constitution - following May's referendum.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/doctors-concerned-about-public-reaction-if-they-refuse-abortion-services-869988.html

Ireland – Lack of training and equipment worries doctors ahead of abortion deadline

Lack of training and equipment worries doctors ahead of abortion deadline

Press Association 2018
Sep 19, 2018

Doctors have voiced concern over whether the Irish Health Service will be ready to start carrying out abortions by January 2019.

The Oireachtas Health Committee heard warnings from doctors that more investment is needed in the health service to adapt to the “new reality” ahead.

Continued: https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/national/16889531.lack-of-training-and-equipment-worries-doctors-ahead-of-abortion-deadline/

Ireland – Concern over timeline for introducing abortion services

Concern over timeline for introducing abortion services

Wednesday, 19 Sep 2018
RTÉ News Political reporter

The Minister for Health has said he intends to meet medical professionals shortly regarding clinical guidelines being prepared for abortion services here.

Simon Harris's comments come following today's Oireachtas Health Committee, at which concerns were raised by representatives of GPs, gynaecologists and obstetricians over the lack of meetings between stakeholders on the matter.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0919/994727-abortion/

Ireland – ‘Very, very difficult’: Doctors raise doubts over abortion services timeline

‘Very, very difficult’: Doctors raise doubts over abortion services timeline
Oireachtas health committee is told start date for GP-led structure from early next year is ‘challenging’

Wed, Sep 19, 2018

Doctors have expressed concerns that they will not be able to implement the Government’s plan to roll out GP-led abortion services from its intended start date in January.

Representatives from the Irish College of General Practitioners and the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists raised doubts at the Oireachtas health committee about being able to implement guidelines and provide abortion services by the Government’s proposed start-date early next year.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/very-very-difficult-doctors-raise-doubts-over-abortion-services-timeline-1.3634396

Ireland – Abortion services will be free, Harris confirms

Abortion services will be free, Harris confirms

Wednesday, September 19, 2018
By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, Irish Examiner Political Correspondent

Ireland's imminent abortion services will be completely free to ensure they can be fully accessed by anyone who needs them, end the need to travel abroad for care and to prevent an influx of private abortion clinics into this country.

Health Minister Simon Harris confirmed the new services will not cost anything just 24 hours after President Michael D Higgins signed the referendum result into law, thereby formally removing the eighth amendment from the constitution.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/abortion-services-will-be-free-harris-confirms-870089.html