Submission from “Repeal the 8​th​ London” for the Citizens’ Assembly on the 8​th​ Amendment
10th December 2016
Please note that the name of the group has changed from ‘Repeal the 8th London’ to ‘The
London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign’ since this submission was made.
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Our first gathering was in the form of a performance protest outside the Irish Embassy in London
to coincide with the Dublin “March for Choice” on the 24th September 2016 as part of “Repeal
the 8th - A Global Gathering”. 77 women participated in the London protest to represent the 77
Irish women a week (11 a day) who have travelled to the UK for abortions (see the video here:
https://goo.gl/gdSHHG​). Hundreds of Irish people gathered at the Irish Embassy to stand in
solidarity with the women who travel from Ireland to England to access abortion and to call for the
repeal of the 8th Amendment.
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On the 8th November 2016, we had our first meeting as “Repeal the 8​th​ London” and we
exceeded our own expectations with an attendance of over 250 people.
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We are now making this submission to you today as a group 600 members strong.
Our group is made up the Irish diaspora in London and people with close ties to Ireland, who strongly
believe that the 8​th​ Amendment needs to be removed from the Irish constitution. We care about our
country and we care about women and children in our country. History has shown us that the 8​th
Amendment has a harmful, and at times fatal, effect on the women of Ireland and has a chilling effect on
the medical profession. Women in Ireland need to be safe, but it is also a fundamental freedom to people
to have bodily autonomy. The 8​th​ Amendment creates a constitutional impediment to the legislative
changes required for women in Ireland to attain bodily autonomy.
For these reasons we believe the 8​th​ Amendment should be removed from the constitution.
Our submission is dedicated to: the women ​who have died as the life of their unborn foetus was prioritized
over their own lives, women such as Sheila Hodges, Michelle Harte and Savita Halappanavar; to the
women who have suffered unspeakably as a result of Ireland's restrictive abortion laws​ - Ms X, Ms C, Ms
D and Ms Y; and finally to the 11 Irish women who every day travel, have travelled and who will travel to
access abortion health care in the UK.
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Submission from “Repeal the 8​th​ London” for the Citizens’ Assembly on the 8​th​ Amendment
10th December 2016
Evidence to support the repeal of the 8​th​ Amendment:
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The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act was passed in 2013, allowing for abortion only if
there is an imminent and substantial risk to a woman’s life, including suicide. Since this Act was
passed,​ ​a woman in Ireland has been forced to give birth​ despite being suicidal and requesting a
termination. The Irish College of GPs​ t​ old the Citizens' Assembly​ ​that the provisions of the Act are
either ignored or are found to be “​cumbersome, stressful and difficult”​ by GPs, pregnant women
and their partners.
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A woman may not procure an abortion in Ireland if she is pregnant due to rape. The latest
national statistics from Rape Crisis Centres​ s​ how​ that approx 197 women and girls who attended
their centres in 2013 were pregnant as a result of rape. 25% of these survivors went on to
terminate the pregnancy.
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A woman may not procure an abortion if she is carrying a foetus that will not survive outside of
the womb. Former Minister for Health and current Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar​ ​has
admitted​ that the 8th Amendment forces women to carry to term pregnancies that have “​no
chance of survival for long outside the womb, if at all​”. In 2014, 140 Irish women travelled to the
UK to have abortions due to congenital conditions.
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In 2015, on average over​ ​9 women travelled from Ireland to Britain every day​ for an abortion. In
2014, 1017 abortion pills were seized by Irish Customs,​ ​more than double the amount seized in
2013​. Any woman or girl who procures an abortion, or anyone who assists a woman to procure
an abortion, in Ireland outside the confines of the current legislation, can be criminalised and
imprisoned for up to 14 years.
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The option of choosing to travel to another jurisdiction for an abortion is not readily available to
many women in Ireland who are unable to travel due to family, legal status, financial situation, or
health considerations. In their presentation to the Citizens’ Assembly on 26th Nov 2016, the Irish
College of General Practitioners made the observation that “​Poorer women accept pregnancy
because they can’t get together €1000 to fund a termination abroad​”
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Ireland has the​ ​one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the European Union​. Malta, where
abortion is banned in all circumstances, is the only member state where abortion laws are more
restrictive.
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Amnesty International's​ ​report​ “She is not a Criminal: The Impact of Ireland's Abortion Law”
clearly outlines the many violations of human rights that our restrictive abortion laws have on Irish
women and girls: right to life, health, privacy, non-decriminalisation and freedom from torture and
ill-treatment. The withholding and denial of abortion related information to women, as Ireland’s
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Submission from “Repeal the 8​th​ London” for the Citizens’ Assembly on the 8​th​ Amendment
10th December 2016
Regulation of Information Act requires, also violates fundamental human rights, including the
rights to information and freedom of expression. The report highlights that human rights
obligations require for the decriminalisation of abortion and access to abortion, at a minimum,
when a woman’s life and physical or mental health is in danger, in cases of rape or incest and in
cases of severe and fatal foetal impairment.
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The latest figures issued by the UK Department of Health showed an apparent reduction in the
number of women giving Irish addresses at abortion clinics, equating to a decrease in the
abortion rate from 7.5 per 1000 women in 2001 to 3.6 per 1000 women in 2015. However, that
does not reflect those women and girls who use an address other than their Irish address in the
UK or who travel to other European countries to access abortion services.
A major 2015 study by the World Health Organisation and Guttmacher Institute highlighted that
the Irish abortion rate is an underestimate and that there are ​“no significant difference in abortion
rates for 2010–2014 between countries where abortion is legal and where it is restricted”​.
The 8​th​ Amendment is not therefore stopping Irish abortion happening, it is largely exporting it
abroad, forcing women to travel at great personal cost and increasing stigma.
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The 8th Amendment has wider implications for women’s healthcare in Ireland, beyond the issue
of access to abortion services. The National Consent Policy of the Health Service Executive
(HSE)​ ​states​ ​that informed decisions of non-pregnant adults must be respected but it restricts
informed consent and informed refusal of treatment for pregnant women.​ ​This allows the HSE to
apply for injunctions from the High Court which compel pregnant women to receive treatment
where they do not consent to proposed treatment plans, whether these are in line with
international best practice or not​. The chilling impact of this was illustrated again in​ ​November
2016​ when the HSE sought an order from the High Court to try to force a pregnant woman to
have a caesarean section against her will.
We believe that a pregnant woman - whether her pregnancy is wanted or unwanted - should be free to
make the best choice for her.
We believe that medical professionals should be free to share all relevant medical information with their
patients.
We believe that access to abortion should not be a privilege of the wealthy and those entitled to travel, but
that low-income women, migrant women, and women who have commitments which mean they cannot
easily travel should have the same access.
In your report to the Houses of the Oireachtas, please make the recommendation to repeal the 8th
Amendment
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Submission from “Repeal the 8​th​ London” for the Citizens’ Assembly on the 8​th​ Amendment
10th December 2016
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