A new research paper by an Irish pro-abortion organization is calling for certain abortion restrictions in Ireland to be lifted.
The paper, titled “Accessing Abortion in Ireland: Meeting the Needs of Every Woman,” was commissioned by the National Women’s Council in Ireland. It reviewed women’s and providers’ experience with abortion services since abortion was legalized in Ireland several years ago with the introduction of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.
After abortion was legalized in Ireland, the number of abortions increased by nearly 150%.
Yet the NWCI is pushing to make the country’s abortion laws even more permissive. For example, the law currently allows abortion up to 12 weeks; however, the NWCI is seeking to have this extended to the second trimester of pregnancy, despite the fact babies born as young as 21 weeks have survived with medical assistance.
Abortion is also permitted in certain circumstances after 12 weeks in Ireland — like if a child will die within 28 days of birth from a fatal condition — but is more tightly regulated. NWCI wants to remove the 28-day time limit. Commenting on this, the Iona Institute, a pro-family think tank, noted that the removal of a time limit means the baby could be killed at any time, even after birth.
“The NWCI want a complete removal of any time limit,” the Iona Institute said in a statement. “It means that a baby which could live for months, or even years after birth, could be killed in the womb, or else delivered alive and left to die.”
READ: Only 10% of doctors in Ireland will participate in abortion
Regardless of the child’s condition, intentionally killing a preborn child is never necessary and no child deserves abortion under any circumstances. Live Action News reported just months ago that a couple aborted their baby in Ireland after receiving two test results in 2019 that indicated their preborn child had a genetic health condition that would cause death. Based on that, the couple aborted their baby. Later, another test result came in and showed that the child did not have the condition.
The NWCI is also seeking to remove the three-day waiting period, which was implemented to give pregnant women time to reflect on the decision to abort. However, the NWCI calls this period an “unnecessary obstacle to obtaining medical care.”
The group also takes issue with the criminalization of doctors who provide abortions outside of the circumstances laid out by the ToP Act. The law holds these doctors criminally liable with possible prison sentences of up to 14 years. NWCI recommended the full decriminalization of abortion on the grounds that abortion is an “essential aspect of health care.”
“As we can see, the abortion lobby in Ireland is not satisfied with the huge victory they achieved three years ago,” the Iona Institute said in a statement. “They are now seeking to extinguish the right-to-life of the unborn even more. It is more urgent than ever that the pro-life movement keep the humanity of the unborn before the public and never let it be lost sight of.”
Live Action News recently reported that only about 10% of the 3,496 doctors in Ireland have agreed to participate in killing preborn children. Meanwhile, only about half of Ireland’s maternity hospitals commit abortions. Some hospitals, though, insisted that only doctors willing to commit abortions could apply.
“The NWCI want abortions in every maternity hospital and are demanding fast-tracked medical appointments to fill the gaps,” the Iona Institute said. “As a consequence, doctors would be recruited only if they are not conscientious objectors. What will happen to them if they change their mind? This would undermine the basic principle of freedom of conscience.”
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