Ireland – Government leaders at odds with TDs on sensitive abortion issue

Friday, 19 Jun 2026
By Barry Lenihan

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have found themselves at odds with the majority of their TDs on the politically sensitive issue of abortion. Government TDs were given a free vote - or a "vote of conscience" - in a Sinn Féin bill to remove the mandatory three-day wait for abortion services in early pregnancy.

…Given what's involved, there might be a reluctance to make last night's vote overly party political. But still, it gives an insight into some of the dynamics developing on the Government and opposition benches.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2026/0618/1579064-abortion-vote-analysis/

Ireland – ‘You can buy Viagra over the counter’: Bill to abolish three-day abortion wait introduced

Ruth Coppinger says 72-hour delay ‘does not apply to any other medical procedure that we have in law’

Marie O’Halloran
Thu Jan 29 2026

Legislation to abolish the three-day waiting period for abortion on request has been introduced in the Dáil.

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said “termination of pregnancy is a health procedure that is extremely time sensitive” and the 2018 Act introduced a mandatory 72-hour cooling off period before a second appointment to access abortion.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the Government was not opposing the legislation “at first stage”.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2026/01/29/you-can-buy-viagra-over-the-counter-bill-to-abolish-three-day-abortion-wait-introduced/

N.Ireland – Efforts to bring abortion to North ‘insidious,’ says Foster

Efforts to bring abortion to North ‘insidious,’ says Foster
DUP leader says renewed effort to bring in same sex marriage likely to succeed

July 21, 2019
Gerry Moriarty

Efforts to bring in abortion legislation through the Northern Ireland Bill currently making its way through Westminster were “insidious”, the DUP leader Arlene Foster said on Sunday.

Under the Bill, same sex marriage and a more liberal abortion regime would be introduced to Northern Ireland unless the Northern Executive and Assembly, which has been suspended for more than two-and-a-half years, was restored by October 21st this year.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/efforts-to-bring-abortion-to-north-insidious-says-foster-1.3963079

Abortion in Ireland: Four weeks in, how’s it working?

Abortion in Ireland: Four weeks in, how’s it working?
Abortion has been legal in Ireland for almost a month, yet uncertainties and problems persist

Jan 26, 2019
Jennifer Bray

Next week will mark one month since the introduction of general abortion services for the first time in the history of the Irish State. In the final weeks of 2018, there were dire warnings from senior medics and family doctors that the January 1st deadline was being “rushed” and was “dangerously unrealistic”.

Only nine maternity hospitals were ready to provide full access to abortion care, with the remaining 10 expected to come on board shortly. Some 240 general practitioners have now signed up to the service. Despite the less than comprehensive level of access, abortions are now happening across the country in hospitals and in general practices.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/abortion-in-ireland-four-weeks-in-how-s-it-working-1.3770442

Ireland – Woman denied abortion in Dublin despite new legislation

Woman denied abortion in Dublin despite new legislation
Hospital’s decision has raised questions over introduction of abortion services in Ireland

Rory Carroll, Ireland correspondent
Fri 18 Jan 2019

A hospital in Dublin has refused an abortion to a woman with a fatal foetal abnormality, raising questions over Ireland’s recent introduction of abortion services.

The Coombe hospital, a leading maternity facility that has signed up to the service, reportedly declined to terminate the pregnancy because it did not “fall neatly” into a fatal foetal abnormality diagnosis.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/18/woman-denied-abortion-in-dublin

Ireland – Ronan Mullen pledges to ‘fight the good fight’ in Seanad abortion debate

Ronan Mullen pledges to 'fight the good fight' in Seanad abortion debate

Friday, December 07, 2018
By Daniel McConnell

Health Minister Simon Harris is set to reject amendments to his controversial abortion legislation when it is debated in the Seanad on Monday.

Concerns have been expressed by senators on both sides of the debate with pro-life opponents to the bill criticising attempts to rush the legislation through, while pro-choice senators have expressed concern over elements of the bill as currently drafted.

Continued: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ronan-mullen-pledges-to-fight-the-good-fight-in-seanad-abortion-debate-890661.html

Ireland – Abortion: These were the amendments passed by TDs this week

Abortion: These were the amendments passed by TDs this week

Sat Dec 1, 2018

AFTER 15 HOURS of debate this week, the abortion legislation is yet to pass Report Stage in the Dáil.

It is likely the landmark bill to regulate abortion services in Ireland will pass in the Dáil at the earliest next week.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/abortion-legislation-dail-4366901-Dec2018/

Ireland – Harris seeks availability of second doctor in abortion cases

Harris seeks availability of second doctor in abortion cases

Thursday, 29 Nov 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

The Minister for Health has put forward an amendment to the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill allowing a second practitioner to carry out an abortion procedure if the first practitioner is unavailable.

The amendment relates to the three day wait period, which allows for 72 hours between a woman's first visit and the second visit.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1128/1013989-abortion-dail/

Waiting times, deadlines and objections: Issues before abortion introduced

Waiting times, deadlines and objections: Issues before abortion introduced

Updated / Sunday, 14 Oct 2018
By Ailbhe Conneely, RTÉ News Political reporter

When the Government promised a referendum on the Eighth Amendment last year few would have predicted that Ministers would hope to establish abortion services in Ireland by next January.

Legislation allowing for terminations in Ireland was introduced in the Dáil just over a week ago. But it is uncertain whether the Government will meet that timeline.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2018/1012/1002851-abortion-delays-objections/

Ireland’s abortion referendum raises the bar for U.S. abortion politics

By Abigail R.A. Aiken
June 9, 2018

Ireland’s landslide vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment of its Constitution signaled the end of one of the world’s most restrictive abortion laws. Just as remarkable as the “yes” vote itself, however, was the debate that led to the result — and how refreshingly different it was from the debate here at home. In Ireland, politicians actually listened to evidence, and they listened to women. In America, too many politicians have done neither.

The United States and Ireland have long seemed far apart on abortion. The U.S. Constitution protects the right to choose, whereas until last week, the Irish Constitution explicitly equated the life of a fetus with the life of a pregnant woman. Yet the two countries are much more similar than they seem at first glance.

Continued: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Ireland-s-abortion-referendum-raises-the-bar-12981492.php#photo-15697587