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A TOTAL OF 15 legally-permitted abortions were carried out in Ireland last year under the provisions of Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.
The Act was made law in 2013, and was commenced in January 2014. Under its terms, abortion is still illegal in Ireland except in extremely limited circumstances.
There are just three circumstances which relate to risks to the life of the mother in which abortion is not strictly prohibited.
These are:
The fourth annual report on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act was handed to the Houses of the Oireachtas today as required under Section 20 of the Act.
It showed that last year 15 legal terminations were carried out under the above conditions.
A total of eight were carried out due to a real risk from a physical illness; five were carried out due to an emergency from a physical illness; and two were carried out due to the risk of suicide.
This is a drop from 25 legally-permitted abortions being carried out last year.
Last month, Irish people voted overwhelmingly to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution, which grants the equal right to life to the mother and the unborn child.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act remains the primary legislation on abortion until such a time as the Eighth is repealed and legislation is passed through the Oireachtas, which would legalise abortion in many cases.
Health Minister Simon Harris said earlier this month that the legislation would not be brought to the Oireachtas before the summer recess, due to ongoing court challenges to the result of the Eighth Amendment vote.
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Keep the opposition peaceful and stop giving the government ammo to paint you all as mindless thugs who are hellbent on anarchy.
The sinister fringe strikes again.
Could have been MI5 for all we know………. how can you blame the peaceful protestors for this one ?
And besides – What are the Council doing maintaining the water – what are Irish Water at – receiving bonuses for nothing – and don’t tell me that the council are going to bill Irish Water or the whole thing is a complete and utter farce !
Dermot
Your rants are partially responsible for the lunatic fringe becoming an integral part of your mainstream protest groups.
Imprisoning a Cabinet Minister and putting her life at risk……….Anarchy
Bomb threats to the office of a Cabinet Minister……………………..Terrorism
Riots in Coolock and Santry with Dissident IRA and Sinn Fein
Activists walking side by side and issuing personnel threats to
Gardai ” we know where you live c…ts”. Terrorism
And all of this to shouts of peaceful protest that resonate with the idea that all is centrally controlled and planned and you’re here every day whipping up public invective and don’t you dare say it has nothing to do with you.
The fox is clearly in the chicken coop now and wants blood on its teeth!
The councils continue to do all the work on the water and sewerage network, It appears Irish water just look after meters and the odd bonus or two
Hugh
“Burn the Bondholders !” are partially responsible for Iirsh Water becoming an integral part of Fine Gael’s consistent policy of moving and maintaining debt on balance sheet while moving paying Sate assets of balance sheet.
Lying to the people and expecting to get away with it – expect anarchy.
Bomb threats with absolutely no proof of source – unknown terrorism – check out the North for false flags …just to educate yourself , no implication like !
Ansbacher accounts supposedly held by one member of Government – Coolock and Santry not known for Ansbacher accounts- don’t know about Sinn Fein and the Dissidents and their money – you seem to have a lot of information on them maybe you would like to shed a bit of light.
The Gardaí aare not now known to be perfect – they present themselves as a unified force behind those who said “burn the Bondholders!” … they have to take the rough with the smooth – there are some nice photos of Gardaí reclining on the sand dunes of Mayo in full uniform – that was the smooth .
I try to present facts as I see them or the other side of the coin – therefore I try as best possible to counteract one-sided rhetoric that has in my opinion destroyed this country through gross economic mismanagement and immigration and emigration – If my truth has an effect then there must be others that agree – democracy is all voices being heard ! We are the generation that gets to se what really happened in Northern Ireland while Sinn Fein were silenced with the broadcasting Act – of what only getting two conflicting sides of a problem means a whole lot of other issues are covered up !…Furthermore this is an open forum you are invited to argue any point that I make and I will always when possible correct when pointed out – Unlike many people who disagree with me on this site I am not paid to put my point of view across.
What ahs happened in fact is that the sheep have surrounded the fox – because the fox is attacking the sheep’s drink- no water no milk no lambs , no lambs no fax – the sheep are always in charge ,the chicken fly away at the first sign of trouble !
Jean Claude Trichet is, according to Michael Noonan, a “cultured gentleman” … As I said feathers !
*no lambs , no fox
What did you say dermot? Sorry I lost you after “Hugh”
Mindless idiotic vandals….
Agreed.
Mindless idiotic protestors….. All credibility gone!
2000,000 people marched – are you saying that all of them approve of this –
Jounal commentator ? ;; all credibility gone !
2 million?
Bill, Ryan will have it at 3 million before
The weeks out. I marched before but not any more. I just won’t pay the rates , but the protest has lost credibility as far as I can see…. I won’t be marching anymore. Non payment is the most peaceful and effective form of protest so use it.
Dermot, 4.4 million irish people didn’t march.
@journal commentator, i have to agree, with people still denying a brick was thrown at a squad car, still hell bent on saying its photoshopped or an under cover garda.. All this does is ruins and discredits the movement. According to a garda friend of mine, he says continue with the well organised peacefull protests like 2 weeks ago, dont assault /interfere with workers installing meter meters, and simply just dont pay!
Mr Dave – what a load of tosh !!!
Nice little ‘parades’ around the country for the politicians to ignore.
If the Government don’t back down then there has to be regime change – and that takes effort – including breaking the Garda spirit, where they have to choose whether they are a part of the people or represent the junta.
typo ….200,000
a famous Irishman once noted that it usually only one or two hundred people that change history – what hope has Enda Kenny and the ostrichs against 200,000 ?
New ideas does not necessarily mean worse – it could in fact mean better !
Have anyone of ye ever been to Bantry ? To visit that is!
Still laughing at Journal Commenter .
Whynotme, I thank you, I might pen a stage show… Get Lenny Henry to play me.
I’m a full supporter of protesting against the water charges, but over the last while they’ve taken an uncomfortable turn. Let’s keep things peaceful, we can still send a powerful message that way.
Someone else here suggested that we organise some protests where as a country we all put down tools and stop work for the day. It would have a massive impact and send a strong message.
Sweet fu#k all happens in Bantry ..This is more than likely young fellows doing the assh#le.
I have never condoned violence of any description but I’m so relieved to see the Irish people objecting to these water charges. I think there’s a real societal disquiet building about how ordinary, decent people have been shafted to finance the bankers and elite.
points – why not do things democratically, through our elected representatives?
So PP – torching vans is OK then?
And bulling us
That is a clear and typical PP cop out…..
A cop out – and totally stupid.
You accept violence
It happens elsewhere – why not here?
I don’t encourage it
Or justify it
You should have been a politician m8 – typing/spouting meaningless twaddle
To say that violence is fine and ‘logical’ – because it happens elsewhere – is one of the most idiotic I’ve ever seen on this site, or elsewhere.
Well Pontius Pilate did condemn Jesus to death and then wash his hands of it, just like the protesters saying intimidating behaviour is peaceful. For the record I am not an FG or Labour supporter, quite the opposite in fact.
I’m my lifetime I’ve never seen our population so angry before..
When will the government listen?
Were we not a democracy once?
..sadly I think this is going to landslide into something worse..
I’m – in (sorry)
We were given the illusion of a democracy, never really had one. The same ilk have been ruling this country since its founding.
Its sad to see how a popular and peaceful movement has now denigrated into bomb threats and torching vans.
Where is there any evidence to link these things to water protesters? All these things all of a sudden is just a little too convenient.
I think you left your tinfoil hat in tallaght
Alan Kelly Minister for the Environment with responsibility for water charges, two vans used for maintenance of the water system, massive public outrage and anger towards anything to do with Irish water. No, your right, the three things are all completely mutually exclusive.
Rhetoric is worth nothing, show us the evidence as would be demanded in a court of law in this so called democracy. Put up or shut up.
Could be the work of the Crony Quango gang who have so much to lose because of the protests.
Martin
You will next suggest that any evidence should be brought to the appropriate authorities……..don’t make me throw up please or insult our intelligence.
As Irish water did, hence the granting of a twenty metre exclusion zone…..
Well Hugh you
Well Hugh you seem to have appointed yourself judge and jury. Where in this democratic paradise of ours that you claim to uphold, is that acceptable or are you conceding that we do indeed, live in a dictatorship?
this is why we cant have nice things
Best comment so far
Piss a couple of million people off there will be some elements that will go beyond what is acceptable behavior.
I don’t agree Will, I think people are very mindful…There is real terror about how to pay this bill and just live day to day
Panda – you condone torching vans?
Touching or torching ? You get the same response from a lot of commenters on this site .
Stupid idea by whoever did this but the government is creating this monster. They say they respect people’s right to democratic protest but they completely ignore the protests and messages until their backs are literally against the wall, then they cry about being stopped in their tracks.
They completely steamroll over the will of the people and the more they do that, the less regard people will have for the rules of protest.
I have absolutely no sympathy for Joan or Enda or anyone else who thinks they can get around this by repeatedly changing the subject.
I don’t condone violence in any way, but this is akin to shopkeepers keeping baseball bats behind the counter for defense. They’d rather not be robbed than have to use the bat
i am totaly against the water charge and i attend as many protests as i can, but actions like this are doing the cause no favours, we need to keep it peaceful and respectful of property, even if it is in the hands of irish water . acts of vandalism and violence are only playing into the governments hands, do you want them to bring in new laws restricting the right to march or protest, because that is exactly what will happen . i was living in the uk during the thatcher years and attended anti poll tax marches there, when some elements started turning peaceful protests into riots and using the marches to cause criminal damage ,vandalism and looting, the protests lost all credibility with the people , this gave thatchers government the excuse to bring in the ‘riotous assembly’ act, effectively banning protest and groups of 8 or more meeting in 1 place , this is exactly the path this government wants to go down. don’t give them the chance to discredit us, the irish media is on their side the papers, and rte are just waiting to pounce on the next incident (while ignoring garda violence against citizens)
dont let them win, keep it peaceful and we will win , lose the head and we lose the battle !
I would not put it past pro-government activist to orchestrate something like this.
That’s a great idea Daphne, downing tools for the day would be an incredible message
Most of those so-called protestors wouldn’t have tools to put down. Their work for the week consists of a 10 minute queue at the dole office.
Well that’s just pure stupidity now isn’t it.
No, Will I honestly don’t condone burning vans, at the end of the day the drivers livelihoods could be affected too. I also felt uncomfortable for Joan Burton being stuck in her car at the weekend, I would have been terrified. My point is, I feel my own position hardening albeit from my armchair…I’m just feeling stressed with the unfairness of what’s being put on the Irish people. I was sickened to hear Enda Kenny state the Jobs town protest was nothing to do with water. Maybe it has to do with water charges actually!
They own the money, food, energy, healthcare, media and military.
They now own water, they’ll soon own us.
Some “anarchists” seem to be turning this nationwide protest to a sinister side. Some people want the place to burn down regardless, very dangerous. Mob mentality.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Bill, hopefully people will show their disquiet at the ballot box in their droves. I’m not arguing that it’s right to burn water vans at all but a tiny wee part of me was glad to hear it happened. I’ve never felt like that before. .
Agents provocatuer anyone? Until it’s actually PROVEN who torched the vans, it’s IMPOSSIBLE and unfair to point the finger at anyone. Rushing to judgement on this or any issue is playing into the hands of this increasingly desperate and corrupt government.
Great to see.
Needs to ge stepped up
Needs to be stepped up
Gardaí – following a tip-off from Irish Water (experts in all wet things) , are supposed to be looking for small people with wings – heard to be left leaving the scene of the crime practicing their alibi in a fast Cork conversation …
Suspect 1 -” Dis ?”
Suspect 2 – “I di’nt”
Rumour has it some opportunistic thieves decided to take advantage of the current hatred of all things Irish Water, robbed the equipment from the vans and burnt the evidence. I suppose it will be found out as a forensic team is examining them.
They should have got those vans fitted with a water sprinkler system
Good job it was only the hired vans that was targeted
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