Ireland’s Parliament voted on Wednesday to abolish a mandatory three-day abortion waiting period that has helped to save many babies’ lives.
The legislation aims to end the current requirement that women wait three days before an initial visit to the doctor, who ordinarily must certify that the woman is not past 12 weeks’ pregnancy, and the abortion of her baby. Abortions in later stages of pregnancy are permitted in exceptional circumstances when it is deemed that there is an “immediate risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman.”
Figures show that between 2019 and 2024, about 10,400 women did not return for a second abortion consultation, including women who had a miscarriage or a hospital appointment, but indicating that many babies were saved as a result of the waiting period.
While Parliament voted to strike down the waiting period 86 votes to 70, most deputies from both parties voted against the measure, according to The Guardian. The scale was tipped by votes in favor of the measure by a “handful of cabinet ministers, including the taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin, and the tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Simon Harris.”
Just weeks ago, a similar bill from the Social Democrats seeking to abolish the abortion waiting period failed to pass by an 85-30 vote, with 36 abstentions, Crux Now reported.
Peadar Tóibín, leader of Aontú, decried the vote, saying it has taken away the “last protection for unborn children.”
“The battle for compassion and humanity is not over. It still has to get through the remaining stages of the Dáil and Seanad,” he added.
Tóibín said during a debate on Tuesday that there were 10,852 abortions in Ireland last year, “the highest figure on record.”
“It is equivalent to 400 classrooms of children who are no longer with us as a result of that abortion law. It is absolutely heartbreaking,” he said.