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THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT committee are meeting for the last time today to vote on whether they are to recommend repealing the Eighth Amendment.
The Eighth Amendment gives equal status to the unborn and the mother. The committee is tasked with weighing up the arguments for and against the retention of the Eighth Amendment.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie Chair of the Oireachtas Committee Catherine Noone said, “We’ll start on the vote of whether or not to repeal and then we’ll make our way through all the various amendments in conjunction with the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly.”
While there are more than 40 amendments, Noone said a lot of them will group together.
After the vote, the committee will begin drafting a report on its recommendations. All members are agreed that the shorter the report is, the better but that legal advice will need to be taken.
The report is due to be presented to the government by 20 December, before the wording of next year’s referendum will be finalised.
Committee members have already decided that the don’t want the Eighth Amendment to remain as it is, but whether it is to be completely repealed is still in question.
Overall, the members are expected to vote in favour of repealing article 40.3.3 of the Constitution and allowing the Oireachtas to legislate for terminations.
It’s also expected to support the decriminalisation of abortion, the provision of contraceptives for free and improving sex education in schools.
There are 21 members of the Eighth Amendment Committee, three members – Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick, Independent TD Mattie McGrath and Independent Senator Rónán Mullen – are expected to vote against any measure to remove the Eighth Amendment.
This week Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton said she changed her position and will now support abortion being made available without restrictions after hearing evidence while on the committee.
She is now one of 10 committee members who are expected to confirm support for unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks.
Throughout the course of its work, the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment has been told by medical experts that the Amendment has a chilling effect on their work.
In October, Dr Peter Boylan, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital, said:
I don’t think the Constitution is the place to regulate medical practice. [The Eighth] has caused endless problems … You need to legislate.
Pro-life groups have accused the committee of having a pro-choice bias, something that has been repeatedly denied by its chairperson, Noone. A number of pro-life speakers have refused to appear at the committee, saying its outcome is predetermined. Again, this has been denied by Noone and other members.
Tweeting last night, the chair of committee, Noone said, “Like the entire process so far, the voting will be as transparent as possible for viewers outside of the committee.”
Over the weekend an opinion poll revealed that the majority of voters want the Constitution to be changed to allow the Oireachtas legislate for greater access to abortion.
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From a distance I thought it was Trump
@Fynn:
Seriously.
That was my first thought on seeing it this morning.
I reckon I could paint a picture as good as that Van Gogh fella’s one. What makes his work so special?
@Regular John: That’s the spirit! There’s literally nothing stopping you from trying.
@Regular John: You definitely need a hobby and to connect with nature and the human experience like Van Gogh did.
@Regular John:
Just genius.
@Regular John: Well Done! We look forward to your first exhibition.
@Basildon Joe: I bet you’re a wizard at describing wine, “Distant hint of strawberry with a lingering aftertaste of lemon coupled with…….
@Brian Hunt: He’s probably the one that has the picture hidden away!
@Me Me:
Right, that’s it. Loads of encouragement from the lads on the Journal so I’m gonna go for it over Christmas. He did alright with sunflowers, I’m gonna paint some daffodils. Remember where you heard it first….
I thought for a moment it was Donald Trump
Our public who have depended and are still slightly depend on Irish anti Trump media for indoctrination have no actual understanding of world affairs.
@thomas molloy: And yet, you’re unable or unwilling to tell me the media outlets you get your understanding of “world affairs” from. Or do you, as I suspect, make all this drivel up as you go along…?
@thomas molloy: and that idea is firmly wedged in your head by who?
Paul Gaugin and Toulouse Lautrec enter a bar in Montmartre. They spot a familiar face sitting alone. Hey,Vince,fancy a drink? No thanks guys,replies van Gogh. I ‘ave one ere
@Larry Betts: On a roll!
@Brian Hunt: never misses an opportunity to Van Gogh
MAN on the INSIDE on Netflix is a good “who done it”
A cluttered brain is worse than a cluttered room
@Andy Preneur: “Chaos Theory” is a political strategy used in political campaigns by politicians that have embarrassing/destructive policies that they are embarrassed to put in front of the public. Being against everything that works and advocating revolution and chaos is their last resort. Our educated citizens are not falling for it
Still not a patch on the bananna taped to the white board. Now that’s real art.
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