Michael Healy-Rae: Opposes Removal of Abortion Cooling-Off Safeguard
Michael Healy-Rae addressed the Minister and the chamber to oppose moves to remove the three-day cooling-off period in Ireland's abortion law. He cited HSE data from 2019-2024 showing 10,426 women who attended an abortion appointment did not return after the waiting period, arguing the safeguard led to different choices.
Michael Healy-Rae references HSE statistics to argue the three-day cooling-off period functions as a meaningful safeguard. He notes that nearly 11,000 abortions occur in Ireland each year and more than 60,000 since the 2019 law, using those figures to underline the scale of the issue.
He emphasises that the waiting period was presented to voters as part of the legislative balance. He questions why politicians are now seeking to remove a measure that was sold to the public as an essential safeguard, arguing the change betrays the original framework.
Healy-Rae calls the current trend a national tragedy and says the removal of the safeguard is 'blatantly wrong.' He makes clear he respects differing views on abortion but insists policymakers should not dismantle protections that were part of the framework presented at the time of reform.
His remarks are positioned as a challenge to ministers and colleagues to justify the rush to amend safeguards, framing the debate around both statistics and the principle of keeping commitments made to the public.
Data cited and immediate point
Michael Healy-Rae references HSE statistics to argue the three-day cooling-off period functions as a meaningful safeguard. He notes that nearly 11,000 abortions occur in Ireland each year and more than 60,000 since the 2019 law, using those figures to underline the scale of the issue.
Legislative safeguard and public expectations
He emphasises that the waiting period was presented to voters as part of the legislative balance. He questions why politicians are now seeking to remove a measure that was sold to the public as an essential safeguard, arguing the change betrays the original framework.
Moral judgement and democratic concern
Healy-Rae calls the current trend a national tragedy and says the removal of the safeguard is 'blatantly wrong.' He makes clear he respects differing views on abortion but insists policymakers should not dismantle protections that were part of the framework presented at the time of reform.
Implications for debate
His remarks are positioned as a challenge to ministers and colleagues to justify the rush to amend safeguards, framing the debate around both statistics and the principle of keeping commitments made to the public.
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Transcript
Thank you very much Cathaoirleach. Minister, safe, legal and rare was the line in 2018. HSE data shows that between 2019 and 2024, 10,426 women who attended an abortion appointment did not return after the three-day cooling and waiting period. That proves that those ladies took time to reflect and made a different decision to what they might have made if they didn't have the cooling off period. The waiting period was presented as an important safeguard within the legislation. There are close to 11,000 abortions taking place in Ireland every year. 11,000. Over 60,000 abortions have happened since the law changed in 2019. Abortion now ends the lives of one in every six babies in Ireland. This, in my opinion, is a national tragedy. I respect that people hold different views on abortion and they're perfectly entitled to their views. But my question is, and the question is whether politicians should now remove safeguards that formed part of the framework presented to the public in the first instance. And I believe that what's happening now is blatantly wrong. Why is there such a rush to dismantle a measure that was presented to voters as part of the balance in the legislation? It just doesn't make sense to me. And what it proves is that what was presented and what was sold to the public at the time by the politicians who were supporting the introduction of this change in the legislation, it is now being twisted and turned into something different. And the safeguard is being removed and I really think that that's wrong. And again, I respect everybody's right to hold the opinion that they have on this very important issue, but I believe what is happening here is blatantly wrong and I completely disagree with it. Thank you. For more UN videos visit www.un.org