The Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution has recommended a straight repeal of the amendment regarding abortion laws.
The 14-6 vote in favour of a ‘repeal simpliciter’ (repeal without any replacement in the constitution) was cast today by the cross-party committee.
The Committee Chair Senator Catherine Noone abstained, saying she felt it was appropriate to do so as Chair.
Senator Catherine Noone, Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution
The vote is the result of a three-month process by the Oireachtas Committee examining the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly.
Today is the final public meeting of the committee before members prepare a draft report. The Joint Committee is due to report its conclusions and recommendations to both Houses of the Oireachtas by December 20th.
The Committee proceedings are still ongoing, as they vote on specific recommendations made by the Citizens’ Assembly.
Watch the live stream here: https://media.heanet.ie/player/oirtv.php?channel=comm3
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he wants to see an abortion referendum in May 2018.
The current wording of the Eighth Amendment in the Irish Constitution is as follows: “The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”
