The Library
Irish abortion law : legislating to stand still?
Tools
Harding, Maebh (2014) Irish abortion law : legislating to stand still? In: Atkin, Bill, (ed.) The international survey of family law 2014. Bristol: Family Law. ISBN 9781846619915
Microsoft Word
2014 Abortion piece accepted version.docx - Accepted Version Embargoed item. Restricted access to Repository staff only Download (69Kb) |
Official URL: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/883515414
Abstract
The legality of abortion in Ireland has been the subject of hugely divisive public debate for over 30 years. Article 40.3.3⁰ of the Irish Constitution acknowledges the right to life of the unborn as equal to the right to life of the mother and places a duty on the Irish state to respect and defend the right to life of the unborn.
In 1 January 2014, the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 came into force. The Act is the first piece of legislation to regulate the provision of domestic abortion. Ireland retains one of the most restrictive abortion regimes in the world. Abortion is permitted only where continuation of the pregnancy is of direct risk to the life of the mother. Access to information about legal abortion services in other countries remains restricted to pregnant women.
This chapter maps the development of Irish law from an express constitutional ban on abortion to legislation for a limited constitutional right to abortion. Throughout the decades of debate, official focus on the abstract morality of abortion has distracted from the need to provide adequate care for pregnant women. It is argued that, for progress to be achieved on divisive moral issues such as abortion, frequent reminders of the practical impact of the law on individuals are essential.
Item Type: | Book Item | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman K Law [LC] > KD England and Wales > KDK Ireland |
||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Law | ||||
Publisher: | Family Law | ||||
Place of Publication: | Bristol | ||||
ISBN: | 9781846619915 | ||||
Book Title: | The international survey of family law 2014 | ||||
Editor: | Atkin, Bill | ||||
Official Date: | 2014 | ||||
Dates: |
|
||||
Status: | Not Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 22 April 2016 | ||||
Related URLs: |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |