The three waiting period for abortion has “saved hundreds of lives every year”, the Pro Life Campaign has argued. 

Currently, anyone who asks for an abortion must wait three days before she undergoes the procedure. 

A previous bill by the Social Democrats to remove the waiting period was voted down by Oireachtas earlier this year, by 85 votes to 30. 

The legislation would also have removed criminal sanctions pertaining to abortion and revised the criteria for an abortion on grounds of fatal foetal abnormality. 

However, Sinn Féin has drafted a new bill that would also abolish the wait period and TDs will vote on the measure this evening. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly said the bill is much more defined in scope than the Social Democrats’ bill.

“This legislation is designed to only remove the three day waiting,” she explained. 

“This legislation is designed to only remove the three day wait; it is designed to make it very real, a very practical and compassionate difference in the delivery of abortion care and health care for women. 

“I believe that this legislation will pass and anyone who followed the repeal of the Eighth Amendment will know well that it wasn't recommended by the Citizens Assembly.

“I watched the proceedings of the Citizens Assembly, the three day wait was not recommended there.”

Louise O'Reilly TD. Picture by: Artur Widak/NurPhoto.

Deputy O’Reilly described the three day waiting period as a “political construct” that was put into the legislation by Fine Gael “at a very late stage”. 

She also rejected the characterisation of the three day waiting period as a ‘cooling off period’. 

“I don't think there's any other form of health care for which a person is required to have a cooling off period,” she said. 

“Of course, if you are a woman in a coercive control situation, you will find it very hard to get to your GP once, never mind twice. 

“So, this isn't about support or care, it is just about restricting access.”

'Time for reflection'

Also on the programme, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign noted that there are waiting periods in many European countries, such as Germany and Belgium. 

“There's solid evidence that the three day waiting period in Ireland has saved hundreds of lives every year since repeal took effect,” she said. 

“The HSE data shows us that over 10,000 women didn't return after the three day wait. 

“By allowing that time for reflection, that provision gave women the space to make informed decisions and many just seeking support, talking to somebody and then choosing to continue their pregnancies.”

A pro-life march. Picture by: Ian Davidson/Alamy Live News

Deputy O’Reilly countered that she does not “accept” the figure of 10,000 was reflective of women changing their minds.  

“When you look into those figures, you will see some of those women, it's not suitable for them to have an abortion,” she said. 

“Some of them were not pregnant, some of them miscarried in the meantime.

“Of course, the elimination of the three day wait does not require a woman to have the abortion on the day that she first goes to her GP. 

“She can, of course, do that in her own time and within the regulations.”

Main image: A pro-life march in Dublin. Picture by: Alamy.com.