Oireachtas report urges no abortion time limit in fatal abnormality cases
THERE should be no time limit on abortions in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, a major Oireachtas report recommends today.
The report, from the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment, says that based on “compassionate” grounds for the women and families involved, applying a gestational limit would not be “appropriate”.
This is due to the fact that ultrasound anomaly scans are normally not provided before the 20th week of pregnancy.
Further scanning and testing may be also be necessary after the initial diagnosis.
The committee is also calling for abnormality scans to be made “available to all pregnant woman” between the 18th and 22nd week.
In addition, the report says it is necessary to provide equal healthcare for women who decide to terminate a “much-wanted pregnancy” as for those who decide not to do so.
It recommends that post-mortems should be conducted in all cases of this kind, “irrespective” of whether a termination takes place.
In its final report, released today following months of expert testimony, the committee is recommending profound changes to Ireland’s Constitution.
Twenty-one TDs and senators from all political parties heard the evidence and considered the recommendations made by the Citizens Assembly, which took place earlier in the year.
However, it refused to endorse the assembly’s call for lawful access to abortion in cases of foetal abnormality which does not result in death.
The committee said that while it acknowledged the “burden” placed on families in these situations, there was a “concern” that legislation in this area would “unavoidably stigmatise the vulnerable”.
In particular, this relates to evidence heard about requests for abortion based on discovery of Down syndrome.
The Citizens Assembly also recommended that termination of a pregnancy as a result of rape should be lawful up to a 22-week gestational limit.
However, the committee report also differs from this position. The difficulty in proving that rape has occurred, as well as concerns over adding further trauma to a victim, makes this scenario “unworkable”, it finds.
The joint-party committee is calling for “repeal simpliciter” of Article 40.3.3, otherwise known as The Eighth Amendment, meaning that it would be removed fully from the Constitution.
The Oireachtas would then be the sole source of regulation on the issue of abortion.
It recommends permitting termination of pregnancy with no restriction as to reason with a gestational limit of 12 weeks.
This would be in conjunction with a GP-led service allowing for the provision of abortion tablets, which would only apply to the termination of pregnancies up to 10 or 12 weeks.
Contraception
Alongside changes to the Constitution and law, the committee is also calling for improvements in sexual health and relationship education, including in the areas of contraception and consent, in primary and post-primary schools, colleges, youth clubs and other organisations involved in education and interactions with young people.
It also recommends the provision of better reproductive healthcare services for all women, including in the areas of family planning, contraception, perinatal hospice care and termination of pregnancy.
The entire Oireachtas is due to consider today’s findings and will vote on them in the new year.
A referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution is due to take place in May.