‘Extreme’ abortion proposals introduced into Dáil

The leader of the Social Democrats has come under fire for proposing to further liberalise Ireland’s abortion law amid “skyrocketing” figures.

Deputy Holly Cairns has introduced the Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026 into Dáil Éireann, aiming to abolish the mandatory three-day reflection period and allow all babies deemed to have a “fatal condition” to be aborted. Presently, it must be certain that they would die within 28 days of birth.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the Government will “engage constructively with the legislation”, but Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín urged TDs to oppose the Bill.

Compassion

Tóibín highlighted to his colleagues that there were 10,850 abortions in 2024, the “highest on record, since the legislation was changed”.

In contrast to Cairns’ claim that the reflection period is “patronising”, the Aontú leader emphasised that abortion is “often one of the biggest decisions that any woman could make in her life. It is an irreversible decision.

“We believe it is compassionate to provide a period of time for a woman to reflect in relation to proceeding to an abortion or not.”

‘Astonishing’

Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign added: “It is not only sad but disgraceful that Holly Cairns is introducing a bill today to do away with the life-saving three-day wait before an abortion and that would expand the grounds for late-term abortions even more.”

“Micheál Martin and Simon Harris have a huge responsibility in all of this too. They were the driving force behind the repeal campaign in 2018 which promised voters that abortion would be ‘rare’ if they voted for it. Now they’re adopting a ‘nothing to see here’ approach to Ireland’s skyrocketing abortion numbers and are doing nothing to push back against making the law even more extreme.”

The Bill is based on barrister Marie O’Shea’s review of Ireland’s abortion legislation, but Mulroy noted that O’Shea “publicly admitted that before making her recommendation she never consulted any of the thousands of women who attended an initial abortion appointment but chose not to proceed after the three-day waiting period.

“For the Chair of the Review to make such a radical proposal without engaging those it affects most is, frankly, an astonishing omission that completely discredits the recommendation she made.”

Decriminalisation

The proposals, which will be debated at Second Stage during Private Members’ Time, also decriminalise doctors if they “intentionally end the life of a foetus otherwise than in accordance” with the abortion law.

In addition, medics’ right to “conscientious objection” would be qualified by a “legal duty to provide prompt and appropriate medical assistance to any person in a medical emergency”.

Currently, abortion is available on demand in Ireland up to twelve weeks, with a three-day reflection period. Since the coronavirus pandemic, women have been allowed to take pills to abort their babies at home.