LAST UPDATE | 28 Apr

THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS will today introduce a bill aimed at updating Ireland’s abortion laws, especially to ensure that women do not need to travel abroad to terminate a pregnancy. 

Party leader Holly Cairns said the aim of the original campaign to legalise abortion, “to ensure women no longer had to travel for compassionate medical care”, has not been realised. 

Cairns said shortcomings in the law “mean women continue to be failed in this country”.

Cairns said she hopes that the Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026 will address the shortcomings identified in a 2023 review by barrister Marie O’Shea.

“In particular, my legislation seeks to ensure that women, who receive a devastating diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality, no longer have to travel for care,” Cairns said.

Cairns said the bill also removes “the patronising and paternalistic three-day mandatory waiting period”, which she said has no scientific basis, and instead “introduces a discretionary waiting period”.

She also said the proposed legislation “provides more certainty around abortion in cases where a woman’s health or life is at risk”, as well as clarifying the law “when it comes to conscientious objection and removes the criminalisation of medics”.

“It is now seven years since our abortion law was enacted and three years since an expert review found a range of problems with it. Every month that passes, without action, is a month in which more and more women are failed,” Cairns said.

Cairns raised the matter with Taoiseach Micheál Martin during leaders’ questions this afternoon.

In response, the Taoiseach said there is a “broad range of sincerely-held opinion on the issue of legislative changes” to the 2018 Act.

“It is important that all voices are heard, that we have a respectful debate and discussion on this, that we listen to each other with a view to achieving the maximum consensus possible before proceeding with change, and I think your legislation will give an opportunity for that to happen in the house,” he said.

Martin has spoken to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill in respect of this, he said, and she will “engage constructively with the legislation” that is to be brought forward by Cairns.

He said there was consideration to be given to the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities and the mandatory three-day wait.

Cairns welcomed the Taoiseach’s engagement and appealed to the Dáil to allow the legislation progress to the second stage.

Martin said for government, these types legislative votes are votes of conscience and there will be no party line, allowing TDs to vote either way. TDs should be allowed to examine the Bill in detail and come to their own positions on it, he said.

Additional reporting by Emma Hickey