Timeline: The history of abortion in Ireland

Timeline: The history of abortion in Ireland
Ireland voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment in May of this year.

Dec 30. 2018

The amendment, which gave equal status to the life of the mother and the life of the unborn, was added to the Constitution in 1983. Some people had been campaigning for its removal from Bunreacht na hÉireann since then, while others fiercely defended it.

The country voted by 66.4% to 33.6% to remove the amendment, with over two million votes cast.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/abortion-in-ireland-4382738-Dec2018/

‘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/

Slow passage: All eyes on Seanad as delays risk timeline of abortion bill

Slow passage: All eyes on Seanad as delays risk timeline of abortion bill

Laura Larkin
December 7 2018

Senators are wont to complain that nobody pays attention to the upper house - they won't have that to say over the coming days, as their handling of the abortion legislation will come under intense scrutiny.

The painfully slow passage of the legislation through the Dáil - which saw extensive debate, some old-fashioned mudslinging, and no meaningful change to the bill in the end - put the timeline for services at risk.

continued: https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/slow-passage-all-eyes-on-seanad-as-delays-risk-timeline-of-abortion-bill-37603274.html

This abortion law isn’t what Ireland voted for

This abortion law isn't what Ireland voted for
The Dáil should listen to the voters, not generate red tape that could stop vulnerable people getting the care they need

Emer O’Toole
Tue 4 Dec 2018

In 1983, as the Irish electorate voted in favour of a constitutional ban on abortion, campaigners warned in bold print: “This Amendment Could Kill Women.”

It did.

Following the tragedy of Savita Halappanavar’s death in 2012, Irish politicians were forced to legislate on a 20-year-old supreme court decision, one that consecutive governments had conspicuously kicked into the long grass. In 1992, a judge had ruled that a suicidal teenage rape victim had the right to an abortion. When the government finally produced the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, it was so clearly unfit for purpose that the Abortion Rights Campaign doubted it would enable a suicidal teenage rape victim to access a termination at all.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/04/abortion-law-ireland-voted-dail-listen

Ireland – HSE awards €800,000 contract to set up post-abortion phone helpline

HSE awards €800,000 contract to set up post-abortion phone helpline
Registered charity One Family has won the contract to set up the helpline.

Sep 1, 2018

The HSE has awarded a contract to a counselling service to establish a phone helpline for women experiencing a crisis pregnancy or who have had an abortion. The contract for the service, worth €820,000, was first put out to tender in June of this year.

One Family, the company that has won the contract, is a registered charity specialising in counselling services. It’s not yet known what name the service will be promoted under.

Continued: http://www.thejournal.ie/tender-hse-abortion-helpline-4210592-Sep2018/

01.09.2018

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Ireland – Head of Savita Halappanavar inquiry calls for Yes vote

Head of Savita Halappanavar inquiry calls for Yes vote
Prof Sabaratnam Arulkumaran says legalising abortion ‘a public health issue’

May 22, 2018
Elaine Edwards

The head of the inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar in 2012 has supported a Yes vote in the referendum on the Eighth Amendment “for the sake of women’s health and rights”.

Prof Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, former president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, addressed a press conference hosted by the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) in Dublin on Tuesday.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/head-of-savita-halappanavar-inquiry-calls-for-yes-vote-1.3504214

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 – Masters of maternity hospitals express ‘major concerns’ over online abortion pills

Masters of maternity hospitals express 'major concerns' over online abortion pills

Monday, 21 May 2018
By Samantha Libreri

The Masters of two of Ireland's main maternity hospitals have said they have "major concerns" about women procuring abortion pills online to terminate their pregnancies.

Speaking at a joint press conference to call for a 'Yes' vote in Friday's referendum, Dr Rhona Mahony of the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street and Professor Fergal Malone of the Rotunda Hospital expressed concerns about the health implications for women who take abortion pills.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/eighth-amendment/2018/0521/964995-eighth-amendment/

Abortion in Ireland – what is the law?

Abortion in Ireland - what is the law?

16 May 2018

On Friday May 25 people in the Republic of Ireland will vote on whether they want to make changes to the country's strict abortion laws, upheld in the Eighth Amendment of the Irish constitution.

So where does the law currently stand?

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43961988

16.05.2018

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Ireland – Abortion legislation: the really contentious bits

Abortion legislation: the really contentious bits
The most contested sections of the proposed abortion legislation and what campaigners say about them

May 12, 2018
Sarah Bardon

The referendum on May 25th will ask people their views on whether the Eighth Amendment should remain in the Constitution, or whether it should be removed to allow for the “regulation of the termination of pregnancy”.

At present, Article 40.3.3. – introduced by the Eighth Amendment in 1983 – gives the unborn and the mother an equal right to life.

The Referendum Commission has stressed this is the decision people will be asked to make. However, much of the debate during the campaign has focused on the legislation that may follow a repeal vote.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abortion-referendum/abortion-legislation-the-really-contentious-bits-1.3490740

12.05.2018