In spring, Ireland voted to repeal their Eighth Amendment, which had banned abortion in the entire country. On Tuesday, Irish President Michael D. Higgins signed the referendum into law, making it official. The vote occurred with great fanfare, and an entire nation, with the help of progressives there, changed the tide of the pro-life movement, legalizing abortion for babies up to 24 weeks gestation.
Not only did this initial repeal seem unwise for Ireland’s women, babies, or society, they have continued to approach the issue of abortion callously and without regard for the negative long-term effects legalizing abortion will have.
According to the Irish Examiner, Health Minister Simon Harris confirmed abortions will be free “to ensure they can be fully accessed by anyone who needs them.” Harris stressed that abortion should not be a separate industry but part of Ireland’s healthcare system.
Ruth Cullen of the Pro Life Campaign in Ireland told reporters she didn’t like “the extreme nature of the abortion law about to be introduced” and called it a “definite rude awakening for anyone who thought the law would be somewhat restrictive.”
While Harris might be trying to avoid the polarization that has occurred in America, possibly even due (somewhat) to abortion generally being considered a separate industry from healthcare, normalizing something as barbaric as abortion under the guise of healthcare will create a culture of death in Ireland.
Even as Higgins signed the bill, medical professionals voiced concerns about this new venture. Even though Ireland’s politicians seem eager to legalize abortion and offer it for free as part of their healthcare system, doctors and medical professionals are worried they are not prepared to commence abortions in January 2019. Since abortion was illegal until this point, there is a lack of equipment and training needed to facilitate abortions properly.
Several doctors warned the Oireachtas Health Committee of their concerns in an effort to convince politicians to take them seriously. Dr. Mary Favier, vice president of the Irish College of General Practitioners said, “The result of this referendum has created a new reality. … Termination of pregnancy will be legalized for the first time in Ireland, this means that there are actually very few clinicians who are trained to deliver this care pathway unless they have received training outside of the jurisdiction.”
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
