‘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

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

Ireland – Minister for Health introduces abortion bill to Seanad

Minister for Health introduces abortion bill to Seanad

Updated / Thursday, 6 Dec 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

The Minister for Health has outlined the approach he will be taking regarding the consideration of the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill in the Seanad.

Introducing the bill this afternoon, Simon Harris acknowledged that people had different views on the legislation.

While he said the job of legislators was to scrutinise, Mr Harris said he would do what he promised the people.

continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1206/1015590-seanad-abortion-bill/