Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for including this Topical Issue matter. Before I get into it, I would like to say that for anyone who needs an abortion, the HSE's MyOptions service will help them find their nearest provider. People can phone 1800-828010 or go to myoptions.ie.

Last week, the news broke that the US Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, the case permitting termination of pregnancies across that jurisdiction. It was a shocking reminder that rights established for decades can quickly be removed. Equally worrying was the scale of celebration and pace at which lawmakers, primarily men, moved to restrict healthcare for girls and women. These events are a sobering warning. Some people in Ireland, including politicians, joyfully welcomed the news that the lives of girls and women were being put at risk, and we know this is especially the case in disadvantaged and minority communities.

While the right to bodily autonomy and healthcare, including termination - because abortion is healthcare - has been established by popular vote here, we know nothing is guaranteed. Some groups are still actively working to deny the will of the Irish people and threaten hard-won rights. However, we also know that the work is not completed to ensure that all people who need it have access to free, safe, and legal abortions in Ireland.

Recent UK Department of Health and Social Care figures show that 367 people from the island of Ireland were forced to travel to Britain for an abortion in 2021 - 206 from the Republic and 161 from the North. These are just the UK figures of people giving Irish addresses. In reality, there are many more.

For those travelling from the Republic, the vast majority were more than 12 weeks pregnant, with fatal foetal anomaly cases being the leading reason. This is an indictment of our current abortion laws. These are not abstract numbers; each one is a person being forced to leave the State for healthcare. In many cases, it is women and their partners enduring the pain of complicated pregnancies and foetal anomalies. These are heart-breaking and clinically complex situations. It is beyond disgraceful that our laws after repeal are still forcing hundreds of girls and women to travel for healthcare.

They are in the midst of the most difficult and emotional decisions they will ever have to make. They then need to navigate travelling to another jurisdiction, going through the chaos of Dublin Airport, or being fearful if they can afford it in a cost-of-living crisis. People living in rural areas, working-class people, disabled people, migrants and people living in direct provision all face additional barriers. It is important to note that the Abortion Support Network is a UK charity which provides financial assistance, accommodation and consultation to people from Ireland and other jurisdictions to access care in Britain.

Our laws are forcing suffering onto people already going through one of the worst events of their lives. The incredible work of Termination for Medical Reasons and all the courageous women and families who told their stories reveal the lived reality of this oppressive legislation. The current review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 must remove these cruel restrictions. Other restrictions need to also be addressed, such as the three-day waiting period, which has no basis in medical science, and the absence of abortion services in large parts of the country.

Recent events in the US have brought this situation back into the headlines, but it has been the lived experience for many since repeal. It is now up to the Government to help them.

See this speech in context