People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith will today move a Bill to amend Ireland’s abortion legislation.
The Bill seeks to amend the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 and;
· To decriminalise the provision of abortion.
· To provide for abortion on request prior to foetal viability.
· To abolish the 3-day waiting period for abortion on request.
· To allow for abortion on grounds of fatal foetal abnormality that is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before or within a year of birth.
· To allow for abortion where there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman.
Speaking on the bill and the proposed changes to Ireland’s abortion laws, Deputy Smith said:
“We are bringing this bill to amend Ireland’s abortion legislation fundamentally to expand access to abortion services in the country. We are seeking to decriminalise abortion and abolish the 3-day waiting period amongst other very important measures.
The idea that women and pregnant people in this country can still be criminalised for a women’s healthcare matter is shocking. It is completely out of line with what the Repeal campaign was all about.
The three-day waiting period is insulting to women. It puts forward this idea that women who are in crisis situations just need to calmly reflect on their decision about their unwanted pregnancy. This requirement does not apply to any other healthcare issue.
It is totally unacceptable that women and pregnant people do not have the right to choose what they do with their own bodies, and they want access to healthcare when they decide they want it.
Every year since Repeal women hundreds of women are still forced to travel out of Ireland to access abortion care. This flies in the face of why people voted to remove the 8th amendment from the Constitution.
I am calling on all parties and TDs in the Dáil to support the passage of this bill so that we can bring Ireland’s abortion legislation in line with the demands and spirit of the Repeal movement.”
The Bill can be viewed here and an explanatory memorandum can be viewed here.
