Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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I move motion No. 24:

That the committee would recommend that the termination of pregnancy should be lawful on socio-economic grounds, with a gestational limit determined by the woman in consultation with a doctor

Although this is now a standalone ground, it is hard to speak to it without acknowledging how the majority of the committee voted on the woman's health ground. I struggle to understand how people can separate a woman's health from her socio-economic status or her living conditions, whether poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, prostitution or otherwise. Her socio-economic circumstances are one of the main reasons a woman will seek to access abortion and 70% of the Citizens' Assembly voted in favour of allowing it. If termination is not permitted on socio-economic grounds, this would highlight to me that access to abortion remains a class issue. Although we will cater for many women up to 12 weeks, many women will not be able to access a doctor or perhaps not even know they are pregnant until that time has elapsed. I worked with hundreds of people in addiction for years. Some of the women did not have periods for years due to the damage to their body. However, they became pregnant and nearly six months had elapsed before they realised it. Given how a woman's social situation impacts on her health, this should be allowed as a ground to access abortion. Women from more affluent areas who do not not meet the requirements or do not get to the doctor or find out that they are pregnant before the 12 weeks have elapsed will still be able to travel. If we deny women the right to an abortion on socio-economic grounds, we are saying that we do not care about women who are in less favourable conditions.