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Attempts to decriminalize complete abortion under new legislation have failed as a result of a debate within the Dáil.
A number of DTs have called on Health Minister Simon Harris to support the amendments to the Pregnancy Termination Bill, which would protect physicians from criminalization if they acted. in good faith and that would eliminate the current sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
Independent Member of Parliament Clare Daly said the decision to decriminalize abortion was one of the most important of the 65 amendments.
"We are at an important stage and if we pbad this law while maintaining a criminal sanction, I think we fail.
"We must stop badociating abortion with a 14-year prison sentence."
She said that not removing criminal sanctions would leave a "cooling factor" for doctors and could leave health care services open to "malicious reports".
People before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that health professionals feared prosecution.
"Doctors who seek to ensure the health and well-being of pregnant women must now fear, if they do certain things, to be guilty of a criminal offense and liable to be punished." a 14 year sentence. That seems totally unacceptable to me. "
Mr. Harris stated that he felt compelled to legislate in the same way as what was presented to the public before the referendum. These provisions contain penalties and penal sanctions.
"After the referendum on the abrogation of the eighth, I declared that I felt bound to remain faithful to what was in the general regime and that these provisions were part of the general system," he said. he declares.
He added that Ireland was not alone in this area and that in other countries the area was covered by law with criminal codes.
Criminalization "necessary"
The minister said that criminalization was necessary from a political point of view and that its elimination might endanger the life or health of a woman. He pointed out that under the bill, the woman herself would never be subject to criminal penalties.
He said the provisions of the bill would protect women who had been forced to seek an abortion or in cases of dominant personality or badual abuse.
Fianna Fáil, Billy Kelleher, is concerned about this problem and wants it to be kept under review.
He agrees with Mr. Harris, however, that the government should not stray from the bill before the referendum.
"You could have a vulnerable girl that a friend helps or helps with a tablet and it could go wrong. This is not good for the girl's health. "
He expressed concern that if she reported to a health professional, her friend would be prosecuted or criminalized.
"When we look at this issue, we need to draw practical conclusions from what might happen. There must be a system in place. If I say at the same time, "I do not like deviations," I think we need to keep an eye on this to make sure we do not discourage people from consulting health professionals if they have a problem , "Said Kelleher.
Mr. Harris agreed that the matter should be "carefully monitored" and that it could be part of the triennial review that would be incorporated into the legislation.
No anti-abortion DT spoke on these amendments.
Another amendment requesting that public funds not be used in abortion services was rejected by the Dáil.
The motion moved by Carol Nolan, formerly Sinn Féin TD, was rejected by 90 votes to nine.
A debate on the proposed three-day waiting period also took place. This is the period during which a woman should wait before she can access the drugs for abortion. Independent TD Mick Wallace said he wanted to end the three-day wait in cases where it would prevent a woman from accessing legal abortion before 12 weeks.
TD Solidarity Ruth Coppinger said the three-day wait would impact ordinary women who would have to take several days off to visit the GP.
Fianna Fáil TD Mary Butler said it was important that the government maintain the three-day waiting period provided for in the legislation as it was what had been presented to the Irish people before the referendum.
"Any proposal to remove this waiting period would mean that the government deliberately misled the public as to the safeguards that would be put in place. Many people voted on guarantees given by the government at the time. They must be kept on the floor, "she said.
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