Abortion rights

We had the referendum, so where is the law?

In November 1992, a full six years ago, there was a referendum on abortion. Then the population voted to allow abortion to take place in Ireland, when there was a threat to the life of the mother. The government said legislation would soon follow. Since then nothing.

Is it that Irish women no longer want abortions? No, on average over 4,000 of us make the trip to England every year. All the major political parties have been in government since 1992.

Yet nothing has happened. Women are being forced to suffer unnecessary hardship while politicians dilly and dally. How much longer will we have to wait for the right to free and safe abortions, if we require them, in our local hospitals? How much longer?

This article is from Workers Solidarity No 55 published in October 1998