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Abortion Bill Passes All Stages In The Seanad

Abortions will be legal in Ireland from January 1st. The Oireachtas has passed all stages of the new...
TodayFM
TodayFM

8:30 PM - 13 Dec 2018



Abortion Bill Passes All Stage...

News

Abortion Bill Passes All Stages In The Seanad

TodayFM
TodayFM

8:30 PM - 13 Dec 2018



Abortions will be legal in Ireland from January 1st.

The Oireachtas has passed all stages of the new laws after a vote in the Seanad this evening.

It passed by 27 votes to five.

It gives effect to the result of the abortion referendum in May, when people voted overwhelmingly to legalise terminations of pregnancy.

Senator Catherine Noone, who Chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Abortion, spoke in the Seanad after the bill was passed.

"I've been contemplating for the last few hours and thinking about various things - but predominantly my thoughts are with Savita and all of the women who had to travel in times when our laws abandoned women in this country.

"Thankfully, our decades old English solution to an Irish problem will come to and end once the President signs this bill".

Earlier Health Minister Simon Harris said: "Let's not forget this is a bill about access and this is about making sure that women can access lawful termination freely and safely in our country in a way that they cannot do today.

"In a way that I believe the Irish people instructed us to get on with it and make sure it happens - and in a way I'm determined will happen in this country from the 1st of January as well.

"I'd also like to make the point that the woman will never be criminalised - no pregnant woman will be criminalised under this legislation.

"And that is a very significant difference to the situation today".



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