Minister says abortion a reality as Ireland gets ready for referendum

Ireland’s health minister concedes abortion is a reality for Irish women regardless of whether the country repeals a constitutional ban on most terminations.

Simon Harris told RTE television yesterday he could not ignore the fact more than 3,200 citizens travelled from Ireland to Britain in 2016 to have abortions they could not get at home.

He said he was working on proposed new legislation and will update the public next month.

The Irish government has announced plans to hold a public referendum in late May on whether to repeal the eighth amendment to Ireland’s constitution.

Voters will be asked if they want to keep the antiabortion amendment or repeal it so parliament can enact new legislation.

Ireland – a predominantly Roman Catholic country – has the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland already had abortion, but it was unsafe, unregulated and unlawful.

“In my opinion we cannot continue to export our problems and import our solutions,” Mr Varadkar said.

He outlined the government’s approach after a specially convened cabinet meeting in Government Buildings in Dublin on Monday night.

Voters will be asked whether they want to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which gives equal right to life to the mother and the unborn, and replace it with new wording to allow parliament to legislate on abortion in the future.

The Taoiseach said if people voted to repeal, the government would then table draft legislation that would allow for unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.

Terminations are only allowed in the Irish Republic when the life of the mother is at risk and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion is 14 years in prison.

A report by a specially convened parliamentary committee in December found the Eighth Amendment was not fit for purpose and should be repealed.

That followed recommendations from members of Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly to liberalise the law on terminations.

The committee also recommended abortion be available up to 12 weeks into pregnancy without a woman having to explain her decision.

“I know this will be a difficult decision for the Irish people to make,” Mr Varadkar said.

“I know it is a very personal and private issue and for most of us it is not a black-and-white issue. It is one that is grey – the balance between the rights of a pregnant woman and the foetus or unborn.”