Ireland Rejects Bill for Abortions Up to Birth

The Pro Life Campaign has warmly welcomed last night’s defeat of Paul Murphy’s motion to restore a Private Members’ abortion bill, which lapsed on the dissolution of the last Dáil.

The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Bill 2023 will not now proceed to committee stage as Murphy proposed, after 73 TDs voted against its reintroduction and 71 voted in favour.

Commenting on last night’s outcome, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign said: “We are greatly encouraged by the result. The radical bill, if reintroduced and passed into law, would have among other things permitted abortion on request throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. The bill specifically mentions the “decriminalisation” of abortion and it would also have removed the life-saving three day wait before an abortion.

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Ms Mulroy continued: “The result shows that many TDs are taking stock of the dramatic increase in abortions since the law changed and of the disturbing realities now emerging under the current legislation. This includes the many testimonies of women who regret their abortions and who say they felt pressured under the current system toward abortion and weren’t offered any information beforehand about alternatives. The People Before Profit-Solidarity bill clearly misjudged where a majority of TDs are on the issue and where public sentiment now lies.

“As a society, we should be prioritising alternatives to abortion and meaningful support for women, not policies that drive abortion numbers higher. The real task ahead is to ensure that no woman is left feeling she has no option but abortion. I am very hopeful that greater unity will be found around this goal moving forward.”