Holly Cairns: 'Back legislation to remove three-day wait for abortion services'

Leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns, said her legislation would seek to enact the recommendations of an expert review of the law conducted by Marie O’Shea, which was published three years ago. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns is seeking to remove the three-day wait for abortion services and to stop the need for people having to travel abroad in fatal foetal abnormality diagnoses.

The Cork South-West TD appealed to Government TDs to back her legislation.

The 8th Amendment was repealed in May 2018 to allow for access to abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

However, some women still have to travel to the UK to receive terminations in cases of a foetal abnormality diagnosis. To get this treatment in Ireland, two medical practitioners must certify that the condition is likely to result in death before or within 28 days.

Ms Cairns said her legislation would seek to enact the recommendations of an expert review of the law conducted by Marie O’Shea, which was published three years ago.

“In particular, my legislation seeks to ensure that women, who receive a devastating diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality, no longer have to travel for care,” Ms Cairns said.

“This is especially important given women who endured that horror, and spoke publicly about their trauma, were a key reason for the success of the Repeal campaign.

“I think many members of the public would be outraged to know that some women, who receive that diagnosis today, are still being forced to travel because of problems with the existing law.” 

Ms Cairns said her legislation would remove the three-day mandatory waiting period in favour of a “discretionary waiting period”.

“It also provides more certainty around abortion in cases where a woman’s health or life is at risk; clarifies the law when it comes to conscientious objection and removes the criminalisation of medics,” Ms Cairns continued.

“Previously, when I have asked government representatives why the legislative recommendations of Marie O’Shea’s report have not been acted on, they have suggested they never will be.

“According to this logic, the Irish people were told the parameters of the law in advance of the referendum – and therefore no change is possible.

“However, this ignores the fact that many people voted to ensure that women no longer had to travel to receive medical care, particularly when there is a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality. Shamefully, some women in this tragic situation are still being forced to travel. “ 

Ms Cairns noted that the repeal referendum provided a three-year review of the legislation, and seven years after the law was introduced, this still has not been done.

“Every month that passes, without action, is a month in which more and more women are failed,” she said.