Bríd Smith urges publication of abortion review as women still travel
Bríd Smith spoke on 1 March 2023 about the delayed review of the abortion legislation and pressed the Minister for Health to publish the final report. She argued the report must be released immediately, citing evidence that women continue to travel to Britain for abortion care.
Review deadline and timeline
She said the review was triggered on 1 January 2021, three years after the legislation came into effect, and that by 1 March the Minister for Health should have the final report. She noted there was a timeline indicating the report from Dr O'Shea should have been received "by yesterday" but said there was no clear timeline for the Minister to publish the review.
Evidence considered in the review
She described the review's remit as assessing the operation of the Act and collecting evidence from women who use the service and from health professionals who provide the service. She referenced research by the National Women's Council and others as part of the evidence base.
Concerns about travel for abortion care
She warned that women are still travelling to Britain to receive abortion care, which she said undermines the purpose of repealing the Eighth Amendment. She expressed growing worry about the impact of any further delay on women who must travel for services.
Call for publication and parliamentary exchange
She said that if the Minister does have the report he may be considering it, but she insisted the publication must not be delayed much further and urged immediate release. The exchange concluded with her calling for prompt action and an interruption from Deputy Greenish during the debate.
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Today being the 1st of March would indicate that by now the Minister for Health should have the final report on the review of the abortion legislation. This review was to look at the evidence of the operation of the Act, evidence collected from women who use the service and from health professionals who provide the service. We do know, and we know this from research that has been carried out by the National Women's Council and others, that women are still having to travel to Britain to receive abortion care, which defies the whole basis of what we attempted to do in repealing the Eighth Amendment. We need to know the timeline from the Minister for the publication of the review. We do have a timeline that by yesterday he was to have the final report from Dr O'Shea, but no timeline for his publishing the review. This review was to be triggered on 1 January 2021, which was three years after the legislation came in. We are getting a bit worried now about what is going to happen to women who are continually having to travel abroad to receive abortion care. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that he does have the report. It has not been shared with me or with Government yet. If he does have it, obviously he is giving me a consideration, but we will not delay it much further. I agree that it is important that the report is published as soon as possible. Deputy Greenish, no, no. Deputy Greenish, please. Deputy Greenish, please.
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