Ireland : Committee expected to vote for unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks

[OnDoutside]

This is going to be a vicious Referendum, the Catholic Church and assorted RWNJs are lining up for a massive line in the sand.

Health Minister Simon Harris said he has prepared for various scenarios ahead of the final report from the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment. The committee is expected to vote in favour of allowing unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks as members believe that inserting clauses to allow for terminations in cases of rape and incest would be unworkable.
The committee will cast a series of votes relating to the repeal and replacement of the amendment, which gives equal status to the life of the mother and her unborn baby.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told the Dail he would like for the referendum on abortion to be held in May. He said for this to happen, the Government will require the full support of the house.

SNIP

everal amendments proposed by members relating to the circumstances in which abortion should be made available - including gestation, viability and acceptable grounds for termination, such as rape or incest - will be considered.
However, TDs and Senators are expected to conclude that allowing abortion in cases of rape and incest only is unworkable due to the high burden of proof required to prove rape.

During previous hearings, Prof Tom O'Malley BL said that in cases where a woman has an abortion after being raped, it could in theory be used as evidence against the accused and so prejudice a trial.
It was also heard that cross-examining a woman who may have just been raped - in order to decide if she was eligible for an abortion - would be deeply traumatic.

The widespread and unregulated use of abortion pills is another reason why members will support unrestricted access.

Meanwhile, a New York-based foundation, backed by billionaire George Soros, has said it is "proud" of its support of groups seeking to repeal the Eighth Amendment - despite the controversy over its donation to Amnesty International. The Open Society Foundations (OSF) stood over its financial support for the groups and did not rule out providing funding in the future. Amnesty International is refusing to return €137,000 that it received from OSF in 2016.

That is despite an order from the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) to do so over allegations that the donation breaches laws against foreign financing of political campaigns ahead of next year's planned referendum on abortion. Colm O'Gorman, Amnesty's Irish CEO, claimed that the law was "flawed" and had been "weaponised" by opponents.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/committee-expected-to-vote-for-unrestricted-access-to-abortion-up-to-12-weeks-36403852.html

[OnDoutside]

1. Update : Committee recommends legalising unrestricted terminations up to 12 weeks

So, it moves on to the next stage

The Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment has voted by 12 votes to five in favour of a motion to recommend making the termination of pregnancy lawful with no restriction up to 12 weeks.

The motion states that this would be through a GP-led service or delivered in a clinical context, and determined by law and licencing practice in Ireland.

This recommendation was made in view of the complexities of legislating specifically for the termination of pregnancy for reasons of rape and incest.

Committee members have also voted to allow termination of pregnancy where the unborn child has a life-limiting condition that is likely to result in death before or shortly after birth.

The committee voted to accept that a medical diagnosis of a life-limiting condition made by a doctor in good faith requires a compassionate approach to the family affected and that termination of pregnancy services should be available in such circumstances by 18 votes to three.

A motion to remove gestational limits in cases of significant fatal feotal abnormality was defeated.

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The committee then voted in favour of a recommendation by the Citizens' Assembly that termination of pregnancy should be lawful in Ireland if there is a real and substantial physical risk to the life or the health of the woman.

99% of the Citizens' Assembly voted in favour of this particular reason for termination of pregnancy.

SNIP

The committee also voted by 12 votes to five in favour of a motion to recommend dealing with the issue of pregnancy as a result of rape, by making the termination of pregnancy lawful with no restriction up to a limit of 12 weeks.

The motion states that this would be through a GP-led service or delivered in a clinical context, and determined by law and licencing practice in Ireland.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1213/927010-eighth_amendment/