Ireland Overturns Anti-Abortion Law in Referendum
By Anna WatersIreland Overturns Anti-Abortion Law in Referendum
By Anna WatersOn Friday, the Republic of Ireland voted, overwhelmingly, to repeal its near-complete constitutional ban on abortion. The Eighth Amendment, existing since the 1980s, gave mothers and fetuses equal rights. Abortion was illegal in cases of rape or incest, or when the health of the mother is at risk. Thousands of Irish citizens from around the world flew back to vote. International advocacy groups on both sides of the issue campaigned heavily. The Irish Republic’s vote has only fueled a similarly contentious abortion debate for their neighbors in Northern Ireland. Joining us to discuss the referendum’s potential impact is Dr. Gilda Sedgh, a researcher at the Guttmacher Institute. She testified before the Citizens Commission on abortion that preceded the referendum.