We need our own referendum in Ireland – not on the EU, but on allowing abortion

There is a misconception that Irish society is against abortion, but two of the most recent nationwide polls show that 87 per cent of people are in favour of a change to Ireland’s restrictive law

Protest in Northern Ireland against the country's abortion laws (Getty Images)

On Saturday morning two women started their journey from Ireland to England. This wasn't a sightseeing trip, instead one of them was traveling from Ireland to access abortion services.

In Ireland and also in Northern Ireland, abortion is only legal when there is a direct and immediate risk to a pregnant person’s life. Over 3,000 people travel from the Republic and North of Ireland every year to access abortion services. At least 170,000 people have made that trip since 1967.

Over the last three years many women in Ireland have begun to share their abortion stories. Over the weekend, using the Twitter account @twowomentravel and live-tweeting the journey, two women have taken another step in destigmatising the experience.

The women posted images of their journey, including banal shots of airport tarmac and waiting rooms at the clinic. These mundane images are familiar to the women who are forced to travel because they have been denied health care in their own country; the very same healthcare that is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Those who are able to travel are lucky. This option is only available to those who have money, travel documents, access to childcare, time off work or are well enough to travel. Those who can’t travel are forced to continue a pregnancy they do not want, or have to risk importing and taking abortion pills, which could see them prosecuted under several laws.

During their journey @twowomentravel tweeted at Enda Kenny, the Irish Prime Minister, as it is his government that currently has the power to call a referendum on the 8^th Amendment. This Amendment, which equates the life of the ‘unborn’ with the life of the woman and can only be removed by a national referendum, is what prevents Ireland from liberalising its abortion laws. Several UN bodies have condemned Ireland for denying abortion services to women, which they have deemed a breach of human rights.

There is a misconception that Irish society is against abortion, but two of the most recent nationwide polls show that 87 per cent of people are in favour of a change to Ireland’s restrictive laws. Only 7 per cent want to keep the current regime which stigmatises and criminalises abortion.

Ireland has one of the most restrictive laws in the EU. Without BPAS offering services to those who can travel from Ireland, we would see many more tragic and difficult cases here. It is time Enda Kenny and his government called a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment and introduce free, safe and legal abortion in Ireland.

To find out more about the Abortion Rights Campaign, to get involved or to get more information visit www.abortionrightscampaign.ie