Ireland to hold abortion referendum vote in May
Dublin, Jan 30 (IBNS): Ireland is going to host a referendum vote on the much debated abortion ban in May.
The vote will only decide if the ban on abortions will be kept or repealed.
The article in consideration, article 40.3.3 of the constitution, also known as the Eighth Amendment, was approved by a 1983 referendum.
It "acknowledges the right to life of the unborn," providing equal status to both the mother and the unborn child
Meanwhile, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said that he will campaign for change.
Throwing his weight behind the issue, Varadkar said he cannot allow the Irish problem to be exported.
" We know that thousands of Irish women - from every county in Ireland - go abroad for abortions every year. We know that many women are obtaining abortion pills through the post to end their pregnancies. So we have abortion in Ireland, but it is unsafe, unregulated & illegal," the Prime Minister's Twitter post read.
He said that as the Health Minister, he was convinced that abortions had no place in the constitution.
"The question has to be a Yes or No one; do we reform our abortion laws or not? I will advocate for a Yes vote. My own views on abortion have evolved over time. Life experience does that. As Minister for Health I became convinced abortion had no place in the Constitution," he said.
"In recent weeks many people, mainly men, have spoken about the personal journeys they have been on. We should remember the saddest & loneliest journey is made by Irish women who travel to other countries in their 1000s to end their pregnancies. These journeys don’t have to happen," Varadkar added.
Before setting up a referendum date, the issue will first be debated in the Irish Parliament.
Varadkar's decision received support from National Women's Council of Ireland. Reflection on Monday's announcement, NWCI head Orla O'Connor said, "Every pregnancy is different, every decision is deeply personal. Women and girls in Ireland deserve their dignity. They deserve the right to privacy, family and home."
The present scenario
Being a strict Roman Catholic nation, Ireland's view about abortions are very conservative.
Abortions pertaining to cases of rape and incest are not permitted.
Earlier, even travelling abroad for termination wasn't allowed. However, that rule was changed 1992 after the Irish Supreme Court overturned the travel ban.
According to UK Department of Health, more than 3000 Irish women had abortions in clinics across the UK and Wales.
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