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| Ireland to greenlight referendum on abortion law reform | Ireland to greenlight referendum on abortion law reform |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Taoiseach to campaign for yes in plebiscite on abolishing eighth amendment of constitution | Taoiseach to campaign for yes in plebiscite on abolishing eighth amendment of constitution |
| Henry McDonald Ireland correspondent | Henry McDonald Ireland correspondent |
| Mon 29 Jan 2018 10.29 GMT | Mon 29 Jan 2018 10.29 GMT |
| Last modified on Mon 29 Jan 2018 12.29 GMT | |
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| Ireland’s government is to give the go-ahead for a referendum on reforming the country’s strict anti-abortion laws. | Ireland’s government is to give the go-ahead for a referendum on reforming the country’s strict anti-abortion laws. |
| The Fine Gael-led administration is meeting on Monday to discuss the terms of the referendum to abolish the eighth amendment of the Irish constitution. | The Fine Gael-led administration is meeting on Monday to discuss the terms of the referendum to abolish the eighth amendment of the Irish constitution. |
| The proposed national plebiscite will also allow for the Irish parliament to later devise legislation that would permit abortion in Ireland’s hospitals at up to 12 weeks. | The proposed national plebiscite will also allow for the Irish parliament to later devise legislation that would permit abortion in Ireland’s hospitals at up to 12 weeks. |
| The eighth amendment was added to the republic’s constitution following a referendum in 1983. It recognises the equal right to life of a foetus and the mother during pregnancy and in effect bans abortion in almost all circumstances. | The eighth amendment was added to the republic’s constitution following a referendum in 1983. It recognises the equal right to life of a foetus and the mother during pregnancy and in effect bans abortion in almost all circumstances. |
| Pro-choice campaigners say the amendment creates a legal “chill factor” in the health system, even in cases where Irish law allows for a termination, such as when a pregnancy would result in the mother’s death. | Pro-choice campaigners say the amendment creates a legal “chill factor” in the health system, even in cases where Irish law allows for a termination, such as when a pregnancy would result in the mother’s death. |
| Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, confirmed on Saturday that he will campaign for a yes vote. Varadkar is expected to repeat that position at the cabinet meeting, which will be attended by both his Fine Gael ministerial colleagues and ministers from a bloc of independent MPs whose votes shore up the ruling minority coalition. | Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, confirmed on Saturday that he will campaign for a yes vote. Varadkar is expected to repeat that position at the cabinet meeting, which will be attended by both his Fine Gael ministerial colleagues and ministers from a bloc of independent MPs whose votes shore up the ruling minority coalition. |
| Varadkar is also expected to brief opposition parties on the terms of the referendum, which will be drawn up by the country’s attorney general, Séamus Woulfe. | Varadkar is also expected to brief opposition parties on the terms of the referendum, which will be drawn up by the country’s attorney general, Séamus Woulfe. |
| Varadkar told the BBC on Saturday that he would campaign for a change in the law, drawing criticism from the former Fianna Fáil minister Willie O’Dea, who said it was “astonishing” that the taoiseach had told “foreign journalists” about his position before the parliament or the Irish people. | Varadkar told the BBC on Saturday that he would campaign for a change in the law, drawing criticism from the former Fianna Fáil minister Willie O’Dea, who said it was “astonishing” that the taoiseach had told “foreign journalists” about his position before the parliament or the Irish people. |
| Varadkar’s own party is split over what is arguably the most contentious issue in Irish politics. | Varadkar’s own party is split over what is arguably the most contentious issue in Irish politics. |
| Eighteen Fine Gael MPs are openly in favour of a yes vote, four have come out to oppose change, and 28 are undeclared. | Eighteen Fine Gael MPs are openly in favour of a yes vote, four have come out to oppose change, and 28 are undeclared. |
| Pro-choice campaign group The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment said they hoped Monday’s announcement would include holding the referendum in May. | |
| Veteran abortion rights campaigner Ailbhe Smyth, the Coalition’s chairperson, said May was the preferred date as Ireland’s students were still in the country at that time. | |
| “Come June and the broad mass of Irish students are on their way to other parts of the world such as the United States to work over the summer to pay for their studies. | |
| “We have told the government it makes sense to hold the referendum in May as the students will still be in Ireland. And it’s only fair to have it then because this issue affects them more than most. | |
| In a pastoral letter to churches on Sunday the bishop of Elphin, Dr Kevin Doran, claimed that abolition of the eighth and introduction of abortion in Irish hospitals would pave the way for euthanasia in Ireland. | In a pastoral letter to churches on Sunday the bishop of Elphin, Dr Kevin Doran, claimed that abolition of the eighth and introduction of abortion in Irish hospitals would pave the way for euthanasia in Ireland. |
| “I am convinced that if we concede any ground on abortion, the very same arguments which are now being used to justify abortion will be used to justify ending the lives of frail, elderly people and people with significant disability,” Doran said. | “I am convinced that if we concede any ground on abortion, the very same arguments which are now being used to justify abortion will be used to justify ending the lives of frail, elderly people and people with significant disability,” Doran said. |
| There were clear signs from the latest opinion poll on the abortion question that voters may be as divided as the main political parties. A Red C poll published in the Sunday Business Post found that while 60% favoured repealing the eighth amendment, that figure dropped to 51% when repeal was coupled with the introduction of abortions for up to 12 weeks. | There were clear signs from the latest opinion poll on the abortion question that voters may be as divided as the main political parties. A Red C poll published in the Sunday Business Post found that while 60% favoured repealing the eighth amendment, that figure dropped to 51% when repeal was coupled with the introduction of abortions for up to 12 weeks. |
| Ireland | Ireland |
| Abortion | Abortion |
| Europe | Europe |
| Health | Health |
| Women | Women |
| news | news |
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