Labour TD: State is treating women as second-class citizens
Waterford TD Ciara Conway joined calls from some opposition TDs and the National Women’s Council for a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment which introduced a constitutional ban on abortion in 1982.
Her party leader, Joan Burton, has already ruled out any further changes to abortion laws during the lifetime of this Government and Deputy Conway accepted there is “little appetite” for any such move at Cabinet level.
She was responding to reports that a vulnerable young women had a baby delivered by caesarean section after a panel of experts, convened under the country’s new laws, decided not to permit an abortion.
Her case was assessed under the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act which was passed by the Dáil last summer, and strongly opposed by a group of Fine Gael TDs who lost the party whip after voting against it.
Ms Conway said the case has highlighted the “very rigid and very narrow” nature of the act. “Because of the law and the restrictive nature of it, this is the torment that women are being put through,” she said.
“There is no doubt, with all the scandals — be they the tragic circumstances around this women or in relation to Savita Halappanavar, the Mother and Baby Homes or symphysiotomy — that women are the victims because of their biological make up. We are still being treated as second-class citizens because we don’t have full access to sexual health or reproductive rights.”
“I am probably within a minority in Leinster House in thinking that, but the majority of people outside Leinster House are frustrated with the slow pace of change,” she said.
Independent TD, Clare Daly, said the case of the suicidal young women refused an abortion has highlighted the “urgent need” to repeal the eighth amendment and implement measures to deal with abortion for women who are victims of rape or incest.
She said that putting a vulnerable young woman through court cases — including an order to hydrate her and an application for a forced caesarean section, which was not followed through on once she consented to the operation — “is an absolute violation of her human rights and a cause of deep concern for all women”.
Ms Daly called for a reconvening of the Oireachtas Health Committee to discuss how the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act is being implemented.
“That a woman’s reproductive choices are the subject of national debate, with briefings for government ministers, and court cases is a gross indictment of the lack of a woman’s right to health and bodily integrity,” she said.
The National Women’s Council of Ireland said the case shows that the constitutional ban on abortion is “barbaric and dangerous” and called for an “immediate” referendum to repeal the eighth amendment.
“No civilised society can stand over a law which sees a woman lose her bodily autonomy once pregnant. No more desperate women and girls should have to resort to the courts here and in the EU. The time for action is now,” said the NWCI head of outreach services, Rachel Doyle.
“Migrant women, women with little or no income, women who are unable to travel and women who receive a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality are disproportionately affected.”
