This letter first appeared in The Kerryman on the 30th August 2017 Since its insertion into the Constitution in 1983 the Eighth Amendment has forced over 170,000 women to travel to the UK to access the abortions they need. One woman every week makes that journey from Kerry. The Eighth Amendment is failing women and girls. Miss X. Savita Halappanavar.…
Continue Reading→Time to remove flawed constitutional ban on abortion
This letter first appeared in The Kerryman on the 5th July 2017 Kerry for Choice cautiously welcomes the Citizens’ Assembly report on the Eighth Amendment and calls on the Joint Oireachtas Committee to respect the Assembly’s recommendations. We are pleased with the Assembly’s recommendation that the termination of pregnancy without restriction should be lawful. We also welcome, with caveats, that the…
Continue Reading→Kerry for Choice calls on Joint Oireachtas Committee to respect Citizens’ Assembly recommendations
This press statement was issued on 30th June 2017 Kerry for Choice cautiously welcomes the Citizens’ Assembly report on the Eighth Amendment and calls on the Joint Oireachtas committee to respect the Assembly’s recommendations. Kerry for Choice spokesperson Roesia Foley said, “We are pleased with the Assembly’s recommendation that the termination of pregnancy without restriction should be lawful. We also…
Continue Reading→49 women from Kerry seek abortions in the UK in 2016
This press statement was issued on 13th June 2017 Statistics published today by the UK Department of Health show that 49 women from Kerry accessed abortion services in England and Wales in 2016. Women from the island of Ireland accounted for 83% of legal abortions provided to non-residents in 2016. This annual report, published by the UK Department of Health,…
Continue Reading→One woman every week leaves Kerry to access abortion services abroad
One woman every week leaves Kerry in order to access abortion services abroad. 56 women made that journey in 2015. 63 women made that journey in 2014. 51 women made that journey in 2013. 74 women made that journey in 2012. One woman every week leaves Kerry to access abortion services abroad. We don’t know how many women did not give…
Continue Reading→Kerry for Choice calls for nuanced discussion on abortion
This press statement was issued on the 29th May 2017 The Irish Times Poll results prove public opinion has moved on in the last number of years, but work still needs to be done. Speaking after the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI opinion poll published on Friday Paula Dennan, Convener of Kerry for Choice, said: “We welcome that this poll shows huge…
Continue Reading→Media must not allow opinion masquerade as fact in abortion debate
This letter first appeared in The Kerryman on the 3rd May 2017 Having heard from representatives on both sides of the abortion issue, 87 per cent of the Citizens’ Assembly concluded that the Eighth Amendment cannot remain in its current form. This emphasises the continuing need for honest and nuanced discussion surrounding Ireland’s abortion laws and how they should be…
Continue Reading→Government must set a date for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment
This press statement was issued on the 24th April 2017 Kerry for Choice calls on the government to set a date for a referendum on the Eighth Amendment. The recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly once again show that there is a need for choice and change. The government must now respect the will of the Citizens’ Assembly. Paula Dennan, Convener…
Continue Reading→3 ways you can help the #RepealThe8th campaign
As we await the final report from the Citizens’ Assembly and the outcome of the Oireachtas committee that will deal with the Assembly’s recommendations it is important to continue to emphasis that a full repeal of the Eighth Amendment is necessary because abortion has no place in the constitution. There is still work to do before we see a referendum, but…
Continue Reading→Why we are pro-choice and not pro-abortion
This letter, by Kerry for Choice member Saorlait Moore-Foley, first appeared in The Kerryman on 15th March 2017 The Eighth Amendment demands all pregnancies go to term, no matter how dire the situation is for a woman. As an afterthought, in 2013, the State added that perhaps it is okay if a pregnancy is prematurely terminated if a woman is…
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