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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Category: constitution
What will people be voting on in the referendum?
In the referendum people will vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to removing Article 40.3.3 (‘the 8th Amendment’) from the Constitution and replacing it with a new text: ‘Provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancies’.Read More »
If the referendum passes, might a future constitutional challenge require the government to lift the time limits for abortion access?
Unlikely.
Some people are concerned that, although the government has proposed a clear 12-week time limit for access to abortion on request, (more details here) a future constitutional challenge could require that time limit to be lifted, so that abortion on request would be permitted up to viability.
However, at the present time, it is unlikely that a future Supreme Court decision would require substantial change to that time limit.
About the 8th 