Barry Heneghan: End the Three-Day Wait for Women
Barry Heneghan speaks in the Dáil to welcome Sinn Féin's bill to abolish the three-day waiting period for abortion care, arguing it will improve access and end postcode inequality. He reiterates his belief in trusting women and highlights the promises made to voters in Dublin Bay North.
What he said: Barry Heneghan thanks Sinn Féin for bringing the bill forward and explains why he voted with SACDEMS on the issue. He makes a personal case for abolishing the three-day wait, returning to the question of whether we trust women and answering that question with a firm yes.
Local impact: Heneghan references conversations with women on the doors in Dublin Bay North and the constituency's strong yes turnout. He warns that many women still cannot travel to alternative services and says removing the waiting period will improve access and end a postcode lottery for care.
Political context and consequences: He raises questions about party positions and free votes while citing the O'Shea report and three years of delay. Heneghan welcomes engagement with his office and presses ministers to deliver change rather than reviews that sit on shelves.
What he said: Barry Heneghan thanks Sinn Féin for bringing the bill forward and explains why he voted with SACDEMS on the issue. He makes a personal case for abolishing the three-day wait, returning to the question of whether we trust women and answering that question with a firm yes.
Local impact: Heneghan references conversations with women on the doors in Dublin Bay North and the constituency's strong yes turnout. He warns that many women still cannot travel to alternative services and says removing the waiting period will improve access and end a postcode lottery for care.
Political context and consequences: He raises questions about party positions and free votes while citing the O'Shea report and three years of delay. Heneghan welcomes engagement with his office and presses ministers to deliver change rather than reviews that sit on shelves.
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Transcript
Go raibh maith agat Cathaoirleach, go raibh maith agat agat daoineas ag ffidh gcáint, ffíon náibhar, támhacht ag seo. I welcome the bill, and I thank Sinn Féin for bringing it forward. I voted recently with SACDEMS on this. I suppose when it comes to anything, what I always do is I ask advice off my team, I ask advice off my family, my sisters, my mother. And I stood up in the chamber and made a very clear point as to why I will and have believed that the three-day wait should be abolished, particularly for faedal morality. I meant every word I said then, and I still do. I think the main issue for me is do we trust women? And that is still the question, and the answer for me is still yes. I do recognise that Sinn Féin have taken a different approach, and listen, I respect everyone's opinions. I'll set that aside, but I want to put into the matters here is the legislation is for the women it's meant to serve, and I do commend Sinn Féin for that. I do, I would disagree fundamentally with a Hachta Toibhinn. I wonder, is his party giving a free vote on this issue? The three-day wait has no... Lovely. The O'Shea report said what was given to it. Three years on, women are still living with it. I would also like to say to all the women across Dublin Bay North who financially wouldn't be able to get to the UK or to an alternative means for abortion, that we will be standing with them. We hear them, and I spoke to a lot of these women on the doors. I represent Dublin Bay North. We had over 500 campaigners, and it was the largest yes turnout in the country. Those voters were promised change, and they were not promised a review that would sit on a shelf. Minister, I do welcome the engagement so far with my office on this, and I think removing the waiting period improves access for women, and it will also end the postcode lottery.