Yes, but not for women who have abortions or for doctors who comply with the new law.Read More »
Author: abouthe8th
Will healthcare professionals be forced to provide abortion against their consciences?
No. Under the proposed new law, as under the current law, medical professionals would enjoy a right of conscientious objection. Except in emergencies, they would be entitled to refuse to participate in an abortion. However, they would be required to refer the patient to another practitioner who can provide the care she needs.
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Will the proposed new law be more liberal than the British Abortion Act 1967?
No.
Up to 12 weeks it will be somewhat more liberal. Under the Abortion Act 1967, which regulates abortion in England and Wales, abortion on request is not permitted. The proposed new Irish law will allow abortion on request up to 12 weeks (see explanation here). However, the Abortion Act 1967 never requires a mandatory waiting/reflection period, while Irish law will require people to wait for 72 hours from making the request before having an abortion in the first 12 weeks.
After 12 weeks Irish law will be considerably more conservative: abortion will be available on far more limited grounds in Ireland, and for a far more limited time scale (up to viability only) than is the case in Britain. The only situation in which the laws will be comparable is where there is a ‘fatal foetal anomaly’.Read More »
Will abortion travel still happen after repeal?
Almost certainly.
After 12 weeks abortion will only be available where there is a risk to life, a serious risk to health, or a diagnosis of ‘fatal foetal anomaly’. However, women will almost certainly continue to need abortion outside of these situations.Read More »
Can we reform abortion law without a referendum?
No.
The 8th Amendment limits lawful abortion to situations where the life of the pregnant person is at risk. No law can be introduced that allows abortion in other situations without constitutional change. The Constitution can only be changed by having a referendum.Read More »
What does abortion ‘on request’ up to 12 weeks mean?
Under the Government’s proposed legislation, (for more detail see here) pregnant people would be entitled to request abortion from a GP up to 12 weeks ‘LMP’. 12 weeks. ‘LMP’ is the standard mechanism of dating pregnancy. 12 weeks LMP is usually 9-10 weeks since conception.
A GP would have to certify that the pregnancy is within the 12 week limit.
A pregnant person would then have to take a 72 hour (3 day) ‘waiting period’, following which the GP must provide abortion ‘as soon as may be’ once that time has elapsed.
A woman would not be required to justify her reason for accessing abortion.Read More »
Will the Oireachtas be required to legislate for abortion post-repeal?
While the wording of the proposed 36th Amendment to the Constitution does not explicitly require the Oireachtas to pass new law regulating abortion, this is likely to be necessary to protect the rights of pregnant people after repeal.Read More »
