All political parties must support the Citizen’s Assembly’s recommendations for full access to abortion up to twelve weeks, to prevent further nightmarish situations for women.
This is according to Workers’ Party councillor Éilis Ryan, who was responding to a case reported today (Monday), in which a young girl’s mental health difficulties and pregnancy were examined by multiple judges, lawyers and psychiatrists.
Cllr. Ryan said:
“The details of the case reported in today’s Irish Times display a highly complex set of circumstances and needs, experienced by a young, vulnerable women. Our archaic, Catholic laws on abortion made that situation immeasurably worse.
“Amidst all of the complexities faced by the young person in question, it is only right and proper that at a minimum, the decision as to whether to terminate a pregnancy should remain fully with the person who is pregnant, and nobody else.”
Cllr. Ryan said the case proved yet again that nothing short of free, safe and legal access to abortion can safeguard women’s rights in Ireland. She said:
“The large majority of political parties – all excluding the Workers’ Party and Solidarity-PBP – have yet to commit to implementing in full the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly, that unrestricted access to abortion be made legal in Ireland up until the twelfth week of pregnancy, and wide access be granted beyond that.
The councillor concluded by calling on the members of the committee established to implement the findings of the Assembly to make their positions clear, saying:
“This case makes clear that anything short of full choice will only lead to repeated, nightmarish situations like we have seen today.
“Our legislators must make their position clear – will they argue for full, unrestricted access to choice, or not?”
ENDS
For information contact Cllr. Éilis Ryan (Workers’ Party)