Wednesday, November 01, 2006

TIMELINE ON ABORTION IN IRELAND

1861: Abortion is made a criminal offence in Ireland.

1983: Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution is amended to protect 'the right to life of the unborn'.

1988: Ban on dissemination of abortion information from the Supreme Court, but it is appealed.

February 1992: The X case- Mr Justice Costello grants a High Court injunction preventing a 14 year old, pregnant as a result of rape, from travelling to Britain for an abortion.

November 1992: Two referendums passed which amend Article 40.3.3 to protect the rights to travel and information.

1995: Legislation to provide for abortion information and the right to travel introduced.

1998: The Government establishes an Inter-departmental Working Group on Abortion.

1999: Green Paper on Abortion published, laying out options for reform.

November 2000: An All-Party Oireachtas Committee on abortion publishes its report and fails to reach consensus. A subcommittee then makes a recommendation.

October 2001: Plan for a referendum to allow abortion where a woman's life is at risk from pregnancy, but not suicide.

2002: Referendum, which sought to roll back the Supreme Court decision of 1992, was defeated by 50.42% to 49.58%.

2004: Crisis Pregnancy Agency study finds nearly one in three woman had experienced a crisis pregnancy.

May 2005: Pro-Life Campaign says it intends to lobby for another referendum 'to restore legal protection to the unborn'

August 2005: Irish Family Planning Association launches campaign to demand legal abortion services in Ireland.

October 2006: The largest survey on sexual health in Ireland finds that 64% of people see abortion as acceptable in certain circumstances.

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