Referendum to Repeal the Eighth Amendment A Red Line Issue

Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, with a platform of 50 organisations, has reiterated the importance of including a referendum in the next programme for government.

Commenting at their pre-election press conference today, Ailbhe Smyth, Convenor of the Coalition said: “Abortion has become a key issue in this general election.  Attempts by the political establishment to keep a lid on it have failed entirely.  Abortion has not gone away and pressure is mounting on politicians like never before.  The historical failure to right this wrong has come to a head.  If the general election campaign so far has shown us anything, it is that the public is now wide awake on this issue and is calling for clear political commitment on the issue. The Eighth Amendment is a growing source of national shame and it must be repealed.  Any party that backs away from this issue cannot look the electorate in the eye and ask to be put into Government.  It is time for political leadership.  Political parties must make this a redline issue and include a referendum in the next programme for government”. 

Speaking at the press conference, Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council said “NWCI have long said that women’s reproductive health rights do not belong in the Constitution. It is clear that there is a growing momentum for change, and politicians cannot continue to ignore the will of the people. The Eighth Amendment prevents doctors and midwives from providing proper care to women and significantly limits women’s autonomy in pregnancy. UN treaty bodies have consistently found that Irish abortion laws violate international human right standards and Ireland is in serious breach of its international obligations.”

Chair of Midwives for Choice, Philomena Canning, reiterated the importance of repealing the Eighth Amendment as opposed to replacing or amending it “….we see the chilling effects of this draconian measure in our maternity services. Combined with the complicating effects of the 2013 Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, it seriously undermines women's health, safety and well-being in pregnancy and childbirth. We are calling upon our elected representatives to take appropriate steps to remedy this by decriminalising abortion and calling a referendum for repeal of the Eighth with immediate effect.”

Mandy La Combre, representing the Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment noted that “Barriers to reproductive rights for women are also barriers to full, social, economic, political, and workplace equality. The 8th amendment as it stands denies women their rights and dignity, therefore, it is crucial that progressive movements such as the trade union movement take a leadership role on repeal, and we urge our members to view this as a redline issue when it comes to the upcoming election.”

The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment consists of 50 organisations including trade unions, pro-choice groups and human rights organisations such as the National Women’s Council of Ireland, Amnesty Ireland and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

ENDS
Contact:
Emily Glen, Communications Officer
Ph: 087-9981574

Coalition Members & Supporters

Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC), Action for Choice, AIMS Ireland (Association for Improvements in Maternity Services Ireland), Akidwa, Amnesty Ireland, Anti-Austerity Alliance, Anti-Racism Network, Atheist Ireland, BeLong To, Choice Ireland, Cork Women’s Right to Choose, Doctors for Choice, Dun Laoghaire Repeal the 8th, Galway Pro-Choice Group, ICCL (Irish Council for Civil Liberties), ICTU (Irish Congress of Trades Unions), ICTU Youth, Labour Women, Lawyers for Choice, Limerick Feminist Network, LINC, Mandate Trade Union, Medical Students for Choice, Midwives for Choice, NWCI (National Women’s Council of Ireland), Northern Ireland Alliance for Choice, One Family, Parents for Choice, People Before Profit Alliance, Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Re(al)Productive Health, ROSA (Reproductive Rights Against Oppression), School of Social Justice UCD, Sligo Repeal the Eighth, Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, TCD Students Union, Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI), TFMR Ireland (Terminations for Medical Reasons Ireland), The Workers’ Party Ireland, Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th , United Left Alliance, UNITE the Union, USI (Union of Students in Ireland), X-ile Project.