Abortion is Healthcare and must be available to all who need it
The Abortion Rights Campaign marks International Safe Abortion Day outside Dáil Eireann, highlighting significant barriers when accessing abortion care in the Republic of Ireland. While reproductive rights are under attack worldwide, this government fails to provide free, safe, legal, local and accessible abortion services for all who need them.
Speaking ahead of the 13th Annual March for Choice, ARC co-convener Richael Carroll said, “Abortion is healthcare, and remains the only area of healthcare regulated by criminal law. We want those who make and implement healthcare policy to take note of this basic fact, and provide free, safe, legal and local abortions to everyone who requests one.”
Lauran Kilmartin, ARC co-convener added, “Decriminalisation is fundamental to recognising abortion as healthcare. Medical safeguards are in place so there is no need for abortion to be seen as a criminal matter unless the goal is to keep shame attached to it. All barriers to safe, legal, local and free-of-charge abortions must be removed. This will demonstrate where our values are a society – upholding human rights, evidence-based healthcare, and ensuring the safety and dignity of people who need to access abortion in Ireland.”
“Six years after the historic vote to remove the 8th Amendment, we are still waiting for legislation that recognises there are no circumstances where it is acceptable to force someone to remain pregnant against their will.”
Access to abortion is time-dependent. Of the nearly four and a half thousand GPs in the country, only 10% provide complete abortion services. Two of our maternity hospitals still do not provide any services. The geographic disparity in provision negatively impacts abortion seekers. The rural/urban divide and patchy provision disproportionately impacts disabled people, working-class people, migrants, people living in Direct Provision, people who are already parents, and people who have other responsibilities. We are not ok with abortion access being a lottery of means and geography. We do not accept forcing people to remain pregnant against their will because of their life circumstances.
In 2017, Simon Harris as Minister for Health, said his department was “genuinely taking action on [rogue crisis pregnancy clinics and counselling centres],” and that he would bring forward regulations after the summer recess. There have been 8 summer recesses since and still no change. The RTE Investigates documentary into Abortion Services in April, brought to the forefront the disgusting treatment of pregnant people and the terrible lies told by rogue crisis pregnancy clinics. So many of our politicians acted shocked and surprised by this at the time. We were not surprised. We have been highlighting this issue for years.
10 legislative changes and 60 operational recommendations were recommended in the government’s own independent review. It called for replacing the medically unnecessary three-day waiting period with a statutory right to a reflection period, should the pregnant person choose. It also calls for the complete decriminalisation of abortion. As things stand, doctors face up to 14 years in prison if they provide abortion care outside the confines of the legislation.
The government and the health service are well aware of the issues. They have been raised numerous times through public consultation and the independent review. We demand that the government stops playing pass the parcel with the responsibilities for reproductive healthcare and adequate provision of services. They must implement the recommendations without delay. We have waited long enough.
