The Coalition to Repeat the 8th amendment, a coalition made up of over 80 organisations, are calling for a "referendum now". The coalition wants the government to immediately follow through on the Citizen Assembly recommendations. A new Repeal protest will happen next Saturday and here are all the details you'll need:
What is it?:
"Rally to Repeal" - a rally/ protest to encourage the government to implement a referendum that would repeal the 8th.
Where?:
Central Bank, Dame Street, Dublin 2.
When?:
Saturday the 17th of June at 3 - 4 pm
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Why Rally for Repeal?:
In 1983 the Eighth Amendment was added to the Irish Constitution making abortion illegal except when there is a substantial risk to a pregnant woman's life. No women of childbearing age have ever been allowed a vote on the issue of the 8th amendment even though it directly affects their lives.
Here are just a few of the statistics from the Citizens’ Assembly:
- 90% of members supported the right to abortion where there is a serious risk to the physical or mental health of the woman.
- 78% backed abortion rights if a woman’s physical health or mental health are at risk; 72% said a distinction should not be drawn between the physical and mental health of the woman in deciding on abortion rights.
- 72% supported the right to abortion for social or economic reasons.
- 48% said no restriction on access to abortion up to 12 weeks and 44% said no restriction up to 22 weeks gestation.
- 89% supported the right to abortion if pregnancy was a result of rape; and 89% wanted that right in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.
However, concerns continue to grow about the integrity of the new leader of Fine Gael Leo Varadkar, and future Taoiseach, who believes in altering rather than scrapping the amendment. A referendum, the Coalition believes, will allow women the right to choose for themselves on the issue by repealing the amendment as it stands.
Here are some more reasons why we should be repealing the 8th amendment:
