Ireland should avoid 'politicisation of the judiciary' as has happened in the United States

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights was the result of people being appointed to the court because of their political beliefs

Taoiseach Micheál Martin: 'Above everything else, we should avoid the politicisation of the judiciary because that's what led to the decision in Roe V Wade.' File picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins 

Ireland should avoid the politicisation of the judiciary which led to the US Supreme Court overturning abortion rights, the Taoiseach said.

Micheál Martin said the decision last week to overturn Roe v Wade, which protected a woman’s right to choose in America, was the result of people being appointed to the court because of their political beliefs.

“The constitution and separation of powers are at the very heart of what happened in the United States,” Mr Martin said on Tuesday.

“Above everything else, we should avoid the politicisation of the judiciary because that's what led to the decision in Roe V Wade.

“We had a referendum about five years ago. We have to be faithful in that referendum into the people's decision.” 

Mr Martin added that Ireland differs from the US in that the State is able to hold referendums, noting that a “referendum is a powerful mechanism”. 

The Taoiseach added there was a lot of research and work going into the review phase of Ireland’s abortion legislation but refused to be drawn when People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith asked whether the Government would remove the three-day waiting period, among other contentious measures.

“We do have to make sure that it's properly framed up within the legislation and properly adhered to,” the Taoiseach said in response.

“It is fair to say that the decision on Roe v Wade was quite shocking in many respects but fundamentally because it overturns 50 years of jurisprudence."