NEW Statement on Citizens’ Assembly findings

Action for Choice welcomes the Citizens’ Assembly’s majority vote for abortion on request as an important step forward in the struggle for abortion rights in Ireland.

Action for Choice welcomes this afternoon’s majority vote for abortion with “no restriction as to reasons” by members of the Citizens’ Assembly as a vital and important step forward in struggle for abortion rights for women living in Ireland.

This weekend the Citizens’ Assembly made a resounding statement in favour of liberal access to abortion. An overwhelming majority of Assembly members (87%) voted against retaining the Eighth Amendment in the Constitution and 64% of members supported abortion on request: “no restiction as to reasons”.

We welcome the fact that the Assembly members put women’s healthcare needs at the centre of their discussions and recommendations. This reflects a new maturity in the abortion debate in Ireland and a willingness by members to respect the complex nature of women’s decision-making during pregnancy.

Action for Choice was particularly encouraged that the issues of decriminalisation and women’s right to bodily autonomy featured strongly in the discussions and questions by Assembly members. While the structure of the Citizens’ Assembly ballots did not allow for expression of these principles, we urge the Oireachtas to include these key principles in any future legislation.

The Oireachtas has received a very clear mandate from the Assembly and we call on the government to listen and act with urgency. There have been far too many delays on this issue.  We ask the Oireachtas to remember that for every day they delay 10 women are forced to travel abroad for an abortion.

Women can no longer wait. We need action now.