Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution

Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations

1:30 pm

Professor Fiona de Londras:

Very briefly. The likelihood depends on the answer to two questions. The first question is whether it would be constitutionally permissible. Would repeal, in other words, create an unlimited right to access abortion? I think it very unlikely. The second question is whether it would be politically likely, because even if it were constitutionally possible it would need to be politically enacted. This, I think, is also highly unlikely. I do not consider it inevitable at all.