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THIS WEEK HAS seen the Seanad take its turn in debating and voting on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013.
The legislation is to give effect to terminations in very limited cases where the mother’s life is at “real and substantial” risk.
Opponents of the legislation have argued that it either goes too far or not far enough.
But where does it stand in relation to abortion legislation in the rest of the 28-nation European Union?
AUSTRIA
Available up to three months of a pregnancy; afterwards in cases of serious health concerns for the mother or baby.
BELGIUM
Available up to twelve weeks; afterwards in case of serious health concerns for the mother or baby.
BULGARIA
Available up to twelve weeks; beyond that if the life of the mother is at risk, or for severe foetal malformations.
CROATIA
Available up to ten weeks; thereafter for medical reasons or in case of rape.
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Available up to twelve weeks; after that in case of serious health concerns for the mother or baby or rape.
DENMARK
Available up to twelve weeks. After that the abortion has to be approved by the authorities who take into account exceptional circumstances, like danger to the mother, rape, incest or risk of birth defects.
ESTONIA
Available up to twelve weeks, and beyond that for medical reasons and/or for women younger than 15 or older than 45.
FINLAND
Available up to twelve weeks. A doctor’s authorisation is necessary but in practice is systematic. Beyond that health and social authorities decide on a case by case basis.
FRANCE
Available up to twelve weeks, and beyond that for medical reasons.
GERMANY
Abortion in Germany is permitted in the first 12 weeks upon condition of mandatory counselling, during which counsellors will try to dissuade the woman. Afterwards in cases of medical necessity, but not in case of rape.
GREECE
Available up to twelve weeks, beyond that for medical reasons, rape or incest.
HUNGARY
Available up to twelve weeks; up to 18 weeks if the patient is younger than 18, beyond that for medical or social reasons.
IRELAND
Abortion is allowed in circumstances where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother or where an expectant mother is a suicide risk.
ITALY
Available up to twelve weeks for social or medical reasons; beyond for medical reasons only.
LATVIA
Available up to twelve weeks (up to 16 in case of rape) and after that for medical reasons.
LITHUANIA
Available up to twelve weeks, and beyond that on doctors’ advice for medical reasons.
LUXEMBOURG
Available up to twelve weeks for social and medical reasons or rape; beyond that for medical reasons.
MALTA
Abortion is completely banned. Women found to be having abortions face from 18 months to three years in prison.
NETHERLANDS
Available up to 24 weeks, and beyond for medical reasons. The abortion must take place in one of the 17 abortion clinics or 92 hospitals authorised by the government.
POLAND
Abortion is allowed in case of rape, incest, danger to the life of the mother or the irreversible malformation of the foetus, in the first 12 weeks.
PORTUGAL
Available up to ten weeks on request, and up to 16 weeks in cases of rape. 24 weeks if the child will be born with severe malformations.
ROMANIA
Available up to twelve weeks, afterwards for medical reasons.
SLOVAKIA
Available up to twelve weeks and beyond that for medical reasons or rape.
SLOVENIA
Available up to ten weeks; thereafter for medical reasons.
SPAIN
Available up to twelve weeks; beyond that for medical reasons.
SWEDEN
Available up to eighteen weeks, and beyond that on the authorisation of the health and social services, usually for medical reasons.
UNITED KINGDOM
Available up to twenty-four weeks, and afterwards for medical reasons. In Northern Ireland, the woman’s health must be at risk.
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A good kick up the arse would sort most of those little thugs out
The late great Jim ‘Lugs’ Branigan proved that beyond doubt.
A good kick up the arse might sort out some kid who’s trampled on your daffodils or knocked his bike against your car.
The thugs out there today need to be met blow for blow, zero tolerance American cop style is the only way to go.
If that’s the case how come we still have the problem
That’s what
Keeps the problem going
Jim is no longer with us and the do-gooders prevented his excellent work being continued. But Jim also gave lots of people self-respect by teaching kids how to box and the training gave them self-discipline plus he dealt with a few chaps who were neglecting their families by having a quiet word with them and helping them to get jobs. Up there with Willie Birmingham for his unsung social efforts.
I’m just after getting off the redline LUAS and feel pretty despondent about the future of youth crime
Here’s an idea. Stop cutting funding to local youth groups and community projects. Theres your f****** answer
You understand that “funding” means “taxes” on an already over-taxed people (the middle class).
Why don’t you give your resources to these places and do your fair share rather than looking for someone else to solve the problem? Isn’t that a better solution?
I did michael if you must know. But what good did it do. Nothing because central funding was pulled. Now they’re wasting money coming up with ideas. Vicious stupid circle
I particularly love the white socks and tracksuits tucked..uneducated pond life!a good tazer would sort a lot of them out!
Or when they have their paws down their grey trackys scratching their nuts, such graceful young men
I completely misread the headline as ‘Govt unveils plan to tackle youth unemployment’. #WishfulThinking
This the funniest thing I have read all day. The young criminals will also get a laugh out of this because they know are criminal justice system is the weakest in the western world.
Put them to work writing reports, Ireland’s only growth industry.
How about trying investing for a properly resourced education system? Early intervention rather than a 30:1 pupil/teacher ratio oftentimes in prefabs yields results not just for problems like this. The correlation between early school leaving and involvement in crime has been proven time and again.
But headline-grabbing lazy journalism doesn’t pay too much attention to stats like these.
Give youths a chance by lowering the minimum wage and letting unskilled workers compete and start their own business.
Otherwise they steal and deal to get by.
Joblessness and crime go hand in hand.
Give the non-unionised skilled workers a chance, PLEASE.
*skilled and unskilled
Michael, you sir are an idiot!!!
Oh that’s great logic. Congratulations on such a fine rebuttal and debate. Glad you are coming up with solutions
So everyone without a job is a criminal? Oooooookay
Did I say that?
Keep beating that strawman
Yes, let unskilled people start businesses. Please just explain how in God’s name that could work??? No skills means that they don’t know how to run a business, hence failing and having a massive debt of starting a business over their head.
What about selling something that people need? There is a need for low skilled jobs again like working in petrol stations (when is the last time you weren’t served by yourself?)
Why would you not let the poor work? Do you want social Darwinism?
Ah yes the ol hoodi no crime without it, won’t want to be heading to the gym in one of them. Must get me suit out , oh wait , they will think I am in court !!! STEROTYPING!
Pay Rudy Giuliani to sort out teen crime.
When there is parental issues the apple wont fall far from the tree. You wont see shatter or enda’s kids getting asbo’s
No they’ll just be very good at telling lies.
People brake the law, get caught and walk free.they don’t care because they know they face little or no punishment. Start punishing criminals properly and you have a chance of reducing crime. Investment in the prison system is what is needed.
If you want to tackle crime then get some jobs for the youth instead of trying to pawn them off as slave labour to multinationals with your jobs bridge scheme
have your say