Ireland elects first gay prime minister Leo Varadkar

[OnDoutside]

15. One of his first directions was to instruct the Minster of Health to bring forward the wording

for a Constitutional Referendum next year.

Leo Varadkar has announced, on his first day as taoiseach, that Minister for Health, Simon Harris, is to begin preparing legislation for a referendum on repealing the eighth amendment in 2018, a move that has long been called for by pro-choice activists and the majority of students.

Varadkar made the announcement while revealing his new cabinet positions, which saw a largely unexpected reshuffle, and Harris tasked with staying on in the Department of Health.

Varadkar’s statement today is in line with Harris’s own beliefs on the issue. Speaking yesterday after the UN Human Rights Committee found that Ireland’s current legislation on abortion was a violation of human rights, Harris called on the government to have a referendum on this issue next year. The case was taken by Siobhán Whelan who was forced to travel to the UK to have a termination due to a fatal foetal abnormality. The state was ordered by the committee to provide Whelan with psychological treatment and compensation.

After news of the committee’s findings were released, Harris reiterated his belief that the issue of allowing abortions in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities needed to be addressed by the government.

The news of a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment comes in the same week as reports that a young girl was sectioned after asking for an abortion. The case came to light after the Child Care Law Report Project was published this week with 22 cases being highlighted. In a report by the Irish Times, it was stated that the girl was detained under the Mental Health Act due to the fact she was at risk of self-harm and suicide due to pregnancy. The psychiatrist went on to find that “this could be managed by treatment and that termination of pregnancy was not the solution for all the child’s problems at this stage”.

Reaction to the news has been quick, with Senator Ivana Bacik and Executive Director of Amnesty Ireland, Colm O’Gorman, tweeting out their support of the news. O’Gorman said that the “solid commitment” offered by Varadkar was “great news” but called on people to ensure that they “get a chance to vote fully”.

After months of deliberation, on April 22nd, the Citizens Assembly, tasked with the challenge of advising the government what action it should take on the issue of abortion in Ireland, among other issues, voted to replace or amend the eighth amendment in the constitution.

The introduction of the assembly was criticised by pro-choice campaigners, including many student groups, as a way for the government to put-off calling a referendum on the eighth amendment. As the assembly only holds an advisory role, Harris could still advise the government to call a referendum to allow Ireland to vote on whether or not to completely remove the eighth amendment.

There is very little support for complete abortion on demand in Ireland, but I am confident that there is a majority who will pass a Referendum which allows

Danger to the mother's life
Rape
Incest
Where the child has no hope of surviving

Abortion up to 12 weeks might possibly pass but this will be such a dirty referendum run by Catholic Church hardliners (largely funded from US anti abortion money), that I would fear the Referendum not passing because the fear and hysteria whooped up. You can criticise as you want, but if the support isn't there, it would be a brave politician who would stick their necks out like that. Successive governments have run away from this, now at last there appears to be movement.

It might be of interest to note that a Citizens Assembly was convened by the government to tease through a range of issues, including abortion and there was a 64% support on some form of limited abortion

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/citizens-assembly-backs-abortion-rights-in-wide-range-of-circumstances-1.3058170

Members of the Citizens’ Assembly have recommended that abortion should be permitted in the State in a wide range of circumstances.

A majority of the 92 members voted to allow for abortion in all 13 circumstances considered by the body at its final meeting on Sunday.

The lowest level of support was for the proposal to have no restrictions on the reasons for allowing abortion yet this still attracted approval from almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of a valid poll of 87 members of the assembly.

At the request of the members of the assembly, a category of abortion in the case of socioeconomic circumstances was included. Abortion was supported by 72 per cent of members of the assembly in that case.

The outcome is a recommendation far more liberal than many observers had expected.

The assembly’s recommendations will be presented to the Oireachtas and if accepted would mean the holding of a referendum to overturn the existing Constitutional provision banning abortion.

The problem the Government have is finding the middle ground, to make sure the Referendum passes. Referendum campaigns have been horrific over the last decade, with the people often voting against whatever the government proposes, even though that may be against their best interests. That's if they even turn up to vote.

As for Varadkar, he's a medical doctor, clearly a very intelligent and articulate person, who happens to be gay. He has tacked to the right, but you just heard him yesterday that he will govern from the centre. Your fear appears to be the reverse of what he is actually doing.