TD brings illegal abortion pills into Dáil during Eighth Amendment debate

An illegal abortion pill was brought into the Dáil by TD Bríd Smith during a debate on repealing the Eighth Amendment.

The AAA-PBP TD told the Government she could face arrest for having the pill, before pointing out that many women across the country are forced by the Eighth Amendment to illegally buy such tablets each year.

There were impassioned contributions from across the House last night during a debate on the bill calling for a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment, brought forward by Ms Smith and Ruth Coppinger.

Health Minister Simon Harris acknowledged that, for many, it would take too long to implement change but said the Government wanted to tackle the issue of the Eighth Amendment in the “best way”.

Holding a small white package in the air, Ms Smith said: “This is the abortion pill. This pill is very simple and very simple to obtain. You get it over the internet.”

Acknowledging those in the public gallery, Ms Smith said: “Loads of the women up there are doing that.

“You can get it here in the State. You can also get 14 years for procuring it, taking it, and for helping yourself to have an abortion at home.

“You could arrest me for having it and give me 14 years, but you ain’t going to do it because what’s on your books and what’s in your laws, you know that if you dare to implement it you would bring hellfire and brimstone down on top of this House and in wider society because we have moved on.”

Fine Gael’s Kate O’Connell said she was “ashamed” of this country’s history and would favour a repeal of the Eighth Amendment but said many of her colleagues are “conflicted by the sense that, by supporting this bill or others like it, that they would be guilty of endorsing the other policies and activities of the extreme left. These people do not feel aligned with those who supported the false imprisonment of a former tánaiste or who think that the Irish economy would be benefit from socialist transformation.”

AAA-PBP deputy Paul Murphy demanded that Ms O’Connell “withdraw the allegation” but she refused.

Introducing the bill, Ms Coppinger hit out at Independent Katherine Zappone and the Independent Alliance for “buckling under a whip” after they reached agreement with Fine Gael not to have a free vote.

While many TDs called for a repeal of the Eighth, Independent TD Mattie McGrath said it was “no great surprise” that he would oppose the bill.

Fianna Fáil’s Fiona O’Loughlin pointed out that women of child-bearing age have never had the opportunity to vote on the issue, adding: “Life has changed and the world has changed.”

Declining to give a second hearing to the bill, meaning it will not be voted upon, Mr Harris said that the Government will address the issue of the Eighth Amendment but said “important preparatory work to properly inform debate, to facilitate considered and respectful dialogue” must be carried out through the Citizens’ Assembly.

Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats told the Dáil that “poll after poll” has found that the people want a vote on the issue so they can choose whether the Eighth Amendment is repealed.