TDs to Get Free Vote on Bill to Remove Abortion Wait Time
The measure passed second stage by 86 votes to 70 and goes to the Oireachtas health committee for further scrutiny.
- On Wednesday, the Dáil voted 86 to 70 to remove the mandatory three-day waiting period for abortions in Ireland, passing Sinn Féin's legislation to the next stage.
- Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane introduced the bill to abolish the reflection period mandated in 2018 abortion legislation. Supporters argue the wait causes delays, potentially pushing women past the 12-week legal limit for services.
- Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín criticized the vote, claiming it removes a 'protection for unborn children,' while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the wait 'is causing real damage' to women seeking care.
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris supported the bill, allowing a free vote for government TDs. The legislation now heads to an Oireachtas committee for further scrutiny and potential amendments.
- This targeted bill differs from broader proposals rejected last month that included fatal foetal abnormality provisions. Further stages in the Dáil and Seanad are required before the three-day rule could be abolished by year's end.
21 Articles
21 Articles
The Irish Parliament has voted to abolish the mandatory waiting period for abortion. The bill was introduced by the largest opposition party, Sinn Féin. Party leader McDonald called it "a major step forward for women's healthcare and one of the most important changes since the legalization of abortion." This change in the law allows a woman to decide for herself when she wants to undergo the procedure, instead of having to wait three days. "Wome…
The Irish Parliament has passed a bill driven by the opposition Sinn Féin party, to eliminate the mandatory three-day reflection period for abortion after the constitutional legalization of abortion in referendum in 2018. The bill was passed on Wednesday night with 86 votes in favour against 70, including those of several members of the current Irish cabinet, such as Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan; Housing Minister James Browne or Children's M…
Irish parliament votes to remove three-day waiting period for abortions
The Dáil, Ireland’s parliament, on Wednesday voted in favor of removing the mandatory three-day waiting period for abortions by 86 votes to 70, with no abstentions. The bill from Sinn Féin would remove the current three-day waiting period between an initial consultation with a doctor and a termination of a pregnancy of up to 12 weeks – a provision included in the 2018 abortion legislation which supporters say acts as a safeguard. The bill is now…
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