 Press Release
Saturday, September 29th 2012 For immediate use “Political will, not public opinion, is preventing action on abortion” The Irish Feminist Network will today (Saturday, September 29th) participate along with thousands of others in a March for Choice to mark the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion and celebrate their support for a woman’s right to choose. IFN co-ordinator Alison Spillane said, “Today is a historic day – not only are we marking the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion but we are also reminding the government that this issue is not going away. The most recent opinion poll (Sunday Times, September 16th 2012) shows that 80% of the electorate support access to abortion when a woman’s life is at risk, as per the X case judgment. It is clear that political will, not public opinion, is holding this issue back.” “The government’s expert group was initially due to report in July of this year before the deadline was extended to September – we are now at the end of the month and no report has been published. The government must immediately make public the findings of the expert group and legislate for X”, she said. “Today we march in solidarity with over 150,000 women who, since 1980, have been forced out of this country to access abortion services abroad and together we demand change to Ireland’s archaic and barbaric abortion laws”. ENDS Notes to the editor: The Irish Feminist Network is a voluntary organisation committed to promoting gender equality in Ireland. With over 3,000 online supporters, it is the fastest growing feminist organisation in the country. The March for Choice will start at the Spire on O’Connell Street at 2pm before proceeding to Merrion Square. Speakers include Clare Daly TD, Senator Ivana Bacik and journalist Colette Browne.
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 When: 6pm – 8pm, Tuesday, March 27th
Where: Exchange Dublin, Exchange Street Upper, Temple Bar Why: To ask your TDs to support the X case legislation Join the IFN on Tuesday, March 27th for an evening of tea, cake, and a bit of lobbying! We’ll be holding a letter-writing group in Exchange Dublin encouraging people to write to their local TDs asking them to support the X case legislation when it comes before the Dáil after Easter. The aim of the Medical Treatment (Termination of Pregnancy in Case of Risk to Life of Pregnant Woman) Bill is to legislate for the 1992 Supreme Court judgment in the X case, which ruled that abortion is legal in Ireland when the life of a woman is at risk, including the threat of suicide. Successive governments have failed to legislate for this basic human right but opposition TDs Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, and Joan Collins have put forward this Bill to implement the X case ruling. In advance of the Dáil debate, all TDs need to know their constituents support this legislation. If you have a laptop you can bring along – great! If not, no worries – we’ll have a plentiful supply of paper and pens for some good old-fashioned handwritten letters. We’ll also have sample letters for inspiration and background information on the legislation. Feel free to bring the kids along as we’ll have a colouring corner and a mountain of biscuits to keep them occupied. The event will run from 6pm to 8pm so feel free to drop in for half an hour or join us for the evening. Any questions? Contact us on irishfeministnetwork@gmail.com |
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