Labour Party Launches Repeal the Eighth Amendment Bill

Labour Women have this morning launched the Heads of their Repeal the Eighth Amendment Bill, which was drawn up by Senator Ivana Bacik, members of Labour Women, and pro-choice activists including previous Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness. 

According to Labour the drafted bill represents a significant step forward.

'It will allow abortion on four medically certified grounds: risk to life; risk to health; rape; and fatal foetal abnormality. The test for assessing risk to health will be that of “real and substantial risk”, a test with which doctors are familiar from existing law. A stricter test will apply for risk to health where abortion is sought beyond the first trimester. '

Senator Ivana Bacik: Source - TCD.ie

The framework would potentially repeal laws that exist which currently criminalise women and medical professionals and allow access to legal abortion services. 

The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment has welcomed the publication of the bill, with Convenor Ailbhe Smyth stating:

 'The Coalition welcomes today’s publication by Labour Women of draft abortion legislation as a useful contribution to ongoing and further discussions of what a compassionate and respectful and human rights compliant post-repeal abortion regime would look like.

Ailbhe Smyth- Source: Youtube

'We are particularly pleased to see that the legislation advocates for the full decriminalisation of abortion for women and providers.  We also welcome the fact that the legislation creates no artificial distinction between mental and physical health. However, we are very concerned that “real and substantial risk” to health is retained as a legal benchmark as we know from medical practitioners, that this is almost impossible to translate into safe legal practice.'

To find out more information about the campaign to #Repealthe8th click here.

Main Image: The Irish Times