Committee Recommends Radical Abortion Laws

20.12.2017

The Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment has recommended that abortion should be made available on demand up to 12 weeks and without any time limit if the baby has a serious life-limiting disability. The committee endorsed almost all of the proposals of the Citizens’ Assembly. Despite the extreme nature of the committee’s recommendations, its chairwoman, Senator Catherine Noone, claimed the majority had taken a middle course.

Three members of the committee who are in favour of retaining the Eighth Amendment refused to put their names to the final report. Senator Rónán Mullen, Deputy Mattie McGrath and Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick produced their own report dissenting from the findings of the pro-abortion majority.

The final report of the committee was published just before the Dáil’s Christmas recess, giving many TDs the opportunity to reflect on the proposals before declaring their position.