Ireland – Abortion campaigners hail ‘historic day’ but eye changes

Abortion campaigners hail ‘historic day’ but eye changes
Activists celebrate but urge full decriminalisation and removal of three-day wait period

Dec 13, 2018
Jennifer Bray

Ailbhe Smyth heard around 4pm that there was a possibility that legislation clearing the way for abortion in Ireland could pass earlier than the expected 10pm finishing time.

She hopped on a Luas and headed to the city centre to make her way to Leinster House. Following years of effort, this was not a moment to miss. She was not alone.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/abortion-campaigners-hail-historic-day-but-eye-changes-1.3730715

Ireland – Rise in seizures of abortion pills ‘shows need to enact vote’

Rise in seizures of abortion pills ‘shows need to enact vote’

Sean Pollock
November 18 2018

The number of abortion pills seized by the Health and Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has risen by 57% in the last year.

Figures released by the HPRA show that 644 pills were confiscated between January and September. Some 409 pills were seized during the same period last year, and the total for 2017 was 487.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rise-in-seizures-of-abortion-pills-shows-need-to-enact-vote-wpbfwlmwr

Ireland’s Path to Legalizing Abortion

Ireland’s Path to Legalizing Abortion
At a time when the United States may render it illegal

Shirley Graham
July 5, 2018

On May 25, 2018, I traveled from Washington, D.C., to Dublin to vote in a referendum that would decide whether women in Ireland would have full access to their reproductive healthcare and rights. I was one of the 40,000 diaspora Irish who returned from different corners of the globe (only recent emigres were eligible) to be part of a feminist movement that would make history. When the repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution was passed the next day with 66 percent voting in favor, the country heaved a collective sigh of relief.

In the lead-up to the referendum, women were forced to share previously untold stories of private ordeals and personal tragedies in order to persuade the Irish population that it could no longer export this problem to the United Kingdom.

Continued: http://prospect.org/article/ireland%E2%80%99s-path-legalizing-abortion

Ireland – Minister wants abortion services in place from next January

Minister wants abortion services in place from next January

Thursday, 21 Jun 2018
By Joe Mag Raollaigh

The Minister for Health has reiterated that he wants to introduce abortion services from January 2019.

Speaking at the AGM of the National Women's Council, Simon Harris said that there are a number of legal challenges to the referendum result and he respects the court must do its work.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/0621/972142-national-womens-council/

Ireland – Health minister says it is ‘sad’ that exclusion zones are required around maternity hospitals

Latest: Health minister says it is 'sad' that exclusion zones are required around maternity hospitals

21/06/2018

The Health Minister says it is unacceptable that maternity hospitals have to issue warnings about graphic images outside their buildings.

It is after The Rotunda tweeted to let people know that there was an anti-abortion protest taking place last week and that it had notified Gardaí.

Continued: https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/latest-health-minister-says-it-is-sad-that-exclusion-zones-are-required-around-maternity-hospitals-850243.html

21.06.2018

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News

conscientious objection

exclusion zones

National Women’s Council of Ireland

Ireland – Measures to protect from ‘offensive imagery’ to be considered

Measures to protect from ‘offensive imagery’ to be considered
Harris says abortion services will be available irrespective of ability to pay and geography
June 21, 2018
Elaine Edwards

The Department of Health has been asked to consider measures to protect people from offensive imagery outside maternity hospitals and other health facilities in drafting the legislation on abortion.

Minister for Health Simon Harris also said there would be equitable access to abortion services regardless of someone’s ability to pay or geographic location.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/measures-to-protect-from-offensive-imagery-to-be-considered-1.3538869

Savita’s Law? Pro-choice groups back call from family to name abortion legislation after her

Savita's Law? Pro-choice groups back call from family to name abortion legislation after her

David Young, Rachel Farrell and Laura Larkin
May 27 2018

PRO-CHOICE campaigners have backed calls for Ireland's new abortion laws to be named after Savita Halappanavar, the expectant mother who died after being refused a termination.

The Together for Yes coalition said the gesture would recognise the "great debt" the Irish people owed to Savita, the 31-year-old Indian dentist who died in a Galway hospital after doctors refused to perform an abortion as she miscarried.

Continued: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/abortion-referendum/savitas-law-prochoice-groups-back-call-from-family-to-name-abortion-legislation-after-her-36950926.html

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

26.05.2018

Abortion Rights Campaign

Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment

National Women’s Council

Niamh Uí Bhriain

No campaign

Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act

Vote Yes to remove the harmful Eighth Amendment

Vote Yes to remove the harmful Eighth Amendment
Comment: The Constitution is too blunt an instrument to regulate crisis pregnancies

Thu, May 24, 2018
Ailbhe Smyth, Orla O'Connor

We are asking people to vote Yes so we can remove the harmful Eighth Amendment from our Constitution and end the dangers it has created for women’s healthcare in Ireland. The Eighth Amendment damages women’s health and on rare occasions has directly contributed to a woman’s death, as in the tragic case of Savita Halappanavar.

Currently, if a pregnant woman needs to end her pregnancy to protect her health, or for any other reason, she must do this without the care of her own doctor and travel to another country. More than 1,500 women are also ordering abortion pills online every year. This happens in secret because of the criminalisation of abortion and is therefore unregulated.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/vote-yes-to-remove-the-harmful-eighth-amendment-1.3505961

24.05.2018

Together for Yes begins tour of Ireland ahead of abortion vote

Together for Yes begins tour of Ireland ahead of abortion vote
Group embarks on 12-day trip to push for repeal of ‘unforgiving’ Eighth Amendment

Sun, May 6, 2018
Conor Pope

The Together for Yes group has embarked on a 12-day tour of 22 locations across the State in an effort to convince more voters to back repeal of the Eighth Amendment in the forthcoming referendum on the issue.

Co-director Orla O’Connor told the campaign group’s first “Get Together For Yes” gathering, held in Athlone on Sunday, that the May 25th ballot was not a vote on abortion as “we already have abortion in Ireland”, but a vote “to decide if we will regulate it, make it safe, and care for the women of Ireland”.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/together-for-yes-begins-tour-of-ireland-ahead-of-abortion-vote-1.3486142