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Ireland's government approves bill paving way for abortion referendum
Source: The Guardian
Ireland's government approves bill paving way for abortion referendum
Government confident that bill on referendum abolishing eighth amendment of constitution has enough support to become law
Henry McDonald in Dublin and Harriet Sherwood
Thu 8 Mar 2018 15.06 GMT
The Irish government has finalised the wording of a national referendum on abortion that if passed would overturn a constitutional ban in place since the 1980s.
Ministers formally approved a bill that paves the way for a referendum on abolishing the eighth amendment – the clause inserted into the constitution in 1983 that gives foetuses and women equal right to life.
If Ireland votes in favour of repealing the amendment, the government has also committed to introducing legislation permitting unrestricted abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Currently, terminations are only allowed when the life of the mother is at risk, including from suicide, and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion is 14 years in prison.
-snip-
Government confident that bill on referendum abolishing eighth amendment of constitution has enough support to become law
Henry McDonald in Dublin and Harriet Sherwood
Thu 8 Mar 2018 15.06 GMT
The Irish government has finalised the wording of a national referendum on abortion that if passed would overturn a constitutional ban in place since the 1980s.
Ministers formally approved a bill that paves the way for a referendum on abolishing the eighth amendment – the clause inserted into the constitution in 1983 that gives foetuses and women equal right to life.
If Ireland votes in favour of repealing the amendment, the government has also committed to introducing legislation permitting unrestricted abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Currently, terminations are only allowed when the life of the mother is at risk, including from suicide, and the maximum penalty for accessing an illegal abortion is 14 years in prison.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/08/irelands-government-approves-bill-paving-way-for-abortion-referendum