Ireland To Pass "Revolutionary" New Abortion Law Within Next 6 Months

Ireland On Its Way To Passing New Abortion Law

Following an unexpectedly large victory for the movement to repeal of its constitutional amendment which outlaws abortion, Ireland is now expected to have a new law within six months.

Two-thirds of voters in Friday’s referendum voted in support to repeal of the 8th Amendment, which outlawed the procedure by citing “the right to life of the unborn.” Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar called for the vote earlier this year and praised the result, calling it a “quiet revolution.”

The repeal does not legalize abortion in Ireland, and the Oireachtas legislature will still need to pass a law doing so–but of course, this makes that a lot more likely. The legislative process would be easier than expected and complete within six months, Varadkar said, because of “the fact that the result is so clear that it is more than 2:1 in favor.” The final tally found that 66.4% voted yes to amend the constitution while 33.6% voted no.

Proposed legislation from the country’s Health Ministry would legalize abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and allow second-trimester abortions if two doctors determine that there is a risk of serious harm to the mother. It will also include a three-day waiting period after a woman seeks an abortion.

The law would put Irish abortion law in a similar position to other European countries such as Belgium and the Czech Republic, though laws vary in terms of waiting periods and timeframes for cases. In England — where many Irish women have traveled for abortions — abortion is legal up to 24 weeks.

Laws in the United States vary from state to state, but the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade legalized abortion across the country in the first trimester.