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Ireland to hold abortion referendum weeks before pope's visit Ireland to hold abortion referendum weeks before pope's visit
(35 minutes later)
Ireland will hold a referendum next year on whether to repeal its constitutional ban on abortion in almost all cases, a few weeks before Pope Francis visits. Ireland will hold a referendum next year on whether to repeal its constitutional ban on abortion in almost all cases, the government has said, a few weeks before Pope Francis visits.
The prime minister, Leo Varadkar, has previously said the eighth amendment, which makes abortion illegal unless there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, is “too restrictive”. Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach, told the Irish parliament on Tuesday that a national vote on the abolition of the eighth amendment to the constitution, which gives a foetus the status of a mother even in early pregnancy, will take place in summer 2018.
The Irish government said the vote would be held in May or June 2018. The pope is due to visit in August to attend the World Meeting of Families.
Abortion has always been illegal in Ireland, but a ban was inserted into the constitution in 1983 after a referendum in which 67% of voters were in favour and 33% against.
A woman convicted of having an illegal termination in Ireland faces up to 14 years in prison. However, women are free to travel abroad for abortions, and thousands do so every year, mainly to England.A woman convicted of having an illegal termination in Ireland faces up to 14 years in prison. However, women are free to travel abroad for abortions, and thousands do so every year, mainly to England.
Opinion polls in recent years have consistently indicated strong support for reform in Ireland, which remains largely Catholic, but where scandals have dented the church’s authority. Last year, the UN human rights committee found that Ireland’s abortion laws were “cruel, inhuman and degrading”. It repeated this criticism in June.
Last year, the UN human rights committee said Ireland’s abortion laws were “cruel, inhuman and degrading”. It repeated this criticism in June. Varadkar said the referendum would be staged either in May or June 2018. This would a few months ahead of an expected visit to Ireland by the pope in August. The taoiseach has previously said the eighth amendment is “too restrictive”.
The referendum was announced as the Irish government set out a timetable for several votes over the next two years, including one on Ireland’s controversial anti-blasphemy law. The amendment was introduced through a referendum in 1983. Ireland’s then politically influential anti-abortion lobby, in alliance with the Catholic church, forced the Fine Gael-Labour coalition to hold a national vote, which passed with 67% in favour.
In 2015, Ireland became the first country to legalise gay marriage in a referendum. Pro-choice groups in Ireland claim the amendment creates a legal “chill factor” among medical teams, even in cases where a recent law allows for terminations in very limited circumstances, such as when continuing with a pregnancy would result in the woman’s death, or in cases where the woman might take her own life.
Varadkar said in a statement: “Any amendment to our constitution requires careful consideration by the people. They should be given ample time to consider the issues and to take part in well-informed public debate. In a statement outlining the minority Fine Gael-Independent coalition government’s position on the referendum, Varadkar said: “Any amendment to our constitution requires careful consideration by the people. They should be given ample time to consider the issues and to take part in well-informed public debate.
“Setting a timetable for the referendums to be held over the next two years will allow all involved in campaigning on the issues to plan ahead and to facilitate that public debate.”“Setting a timetable for the referendums to be held over the next two years will allow all involved in campaigning on the issues to plan ahead and to facilitate that public debate.”
The referendum was announced as the Irish government set out a timetable for several votes over the next two years, including one on Ireland’s controversial anti-blasphemy law.
In 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise gay marriage through a national referendum.
Opinion polls in recent years have consistently indicated strong support for reform in Ireland, which remains largely Catholic, but where scandals have dented the church’s authority.
However, the abortion question remains divisive and controversial. The religious right in the country, particularly lay Catholic groups, see the forthcoming referendum on abortion as their last chance to roll back 25 years of social liberal reform.
According to statistics compiled by the UK’s Department of Health between 1980 and 2015, at least 165,438 Irish women and girls accessed UK abortion services. In 2016, the figure was 3,451.
Commenting on the taoiseach’s announcement, Ailbhe Smyth, the convenor of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment said: “The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment has repeatedly expressed the view that a referendum should be held as soon as possible. We look forward to a firm commitment to a specific date for a straightforward referendum to repeal the eighth amendment entirely from the constitution.”
Earlier this week, the divisions over the abortion question in Ireland were laid bare after revelations about remarks made in a parliamentary committee about rape and the morning-after pill.
Brendan Durkan, a member of the main governing party in the coalition, Fine Gael, caused outrage among some deputies when he suggested a better way to deal with crisis pregnancies caused by rape and incest was the morning-after pill.
“With regard to rape and incest, presumably rape is reported on the day or the day after, and there is particular treatment fairly readily available,” he said.