The Dublin Abortion Rights Group is calling upon the Government to:
(a) Pass immediate legislation to implement the X case judgment
(b) Repeal the Eighth Amendment to allow for free, and freely available, abortion in Ireland. Large numbers of Irish women are having abortions in England - it needs to be available in Ireland under wider grounds than those presently possible under the X case
However, as the minimum legal reform possible without amending the Constitution, the DARG believes that "X case" legislation needs to passed as a matter of urgency. Such legislation must contain the following:
1. A guarantee that a woman whose life is endangered by her continued pregnancy is entitled to have an abortion in Ireland
2. A definition of "the unborn" providing that the term should apply only to those foetuses which have attained viability in a medical sense
3. A declaration that the threat to the life of the pregnant woman should be judged by her doctor or psychologist
4. Legal protection for doctors who carry out abortions
A duty on health boards to provide abortions under the legislation
5. Abortion to be made available through the health system
A number of other measures are also necessary, including the following:
1. Decriminalisation of abortion (by repealing the 1861 legislation)
2.Guarantee of the right to travel for all, including pregnant minors
I support the Dublin Abortion Rights Group submission to the Interdepartmental Working Group on Abortion.
I wish the Working Group to take my views into accout in its deliberations.
I also call upon the Working Group to conduct its deliberations in public, so as to ensure transparency in the formulation of law and policy on abortion.
SIGNED:___________________________DATE: ____________
ADDRESS:____________________________________________