Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has criticised the Taoiseach\u2019s refusal to provide a timeline for when the government will act on the recommendations of a 2023 review into the operation of Ireland\u2019s abortion laws.<\/p>\n
Deputy Cairns made her comments after raising the harrowing case of Denise Whitmore during Leaders\u2019 Questions in the D\u00e1il today.<\/p>\n
She said:<\/p>\n
\u201cDenise and her husband Mark were forced to travel to the UK for a termination after a scan revealed that her baby\u2019s brain had not developed, and the condition was fatal. This was a harrowing journey that no couple should have to make after arriving at such a heartbreaking decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause doctors in Ireland could not be absolutely certain that baby \u00c9adha would die within 28 days \u2013 as required by current legislation \u2013 they had no choice but to travel to the UK for the procedure, during which Denise presented with serious complications that necessitated an emergency C-section.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs if this wasn\u2019t traumatic enough, the couple then had to navigate the legalities of bringing their baby back home to Ireland. This was only made possible thanks to a kind worker at the ferry terminal who allowed them to travel.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Denise\u2019s trauma didn\u2019t end there. Despite having major surgery in the UK, there was zero follow up care in Ireland. Shockingly, even when she presented to a bereavement midwife to get counselling, she was told it wasn\u2019t available.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to shortcomings in our abortion laws, every year around 240 women have to travel to the UK for a termination, each one with their own tragic story.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is despite the completion of a review into the operation of our abortion laws by barrister Marie O\u2019Shea in 2023. This expert report, commissioned by the government, recommended providing clarity in the provision of care in cases of foetal abnormality; the end of the criminalisation of doctors; and the scrapping of the three-day mandatory waiting period.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I raised this with the Taoiseach today, he said the issue would be reviewed. However, we already have the O\u2019Shea review, which has been gathering dust for three years now.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long is this government going to continue to ignore women like Denise Whitmore and continue to make them suffer?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a firm timeline from the government on when it will act on its own expert\u2019s report \u2013 not a vague commitment from the Taoiseach about another review.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has criticised the Taoiseach\u2019s refusal to provide a timeline for when the government will act on the recommendations of a 2023 review into the operation of Ireland\u2019s abortion laws. Deputy Cairns made her comments after raising the harrowing case of Denise Whitmore during Leaders\u2019 Questions in the D\u00e1il today. She […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[400,7,500],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holly-cairns","category-press-release","category-repeal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n