Political will, not public opinion, is preventing action on abortion

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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