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just factually wrong. Some people say that the HSE data indicate that 10,000 children are alive today because of the three-day wait. That is simply not fact and simply not the case. Nowhere in any publication or in any parliamentary question response does

acted since. The Bill before the House is designed to fix three of those problems, the first being that the mandatory three-day waiting period has no basis in medical evidence. The WHO is unambiguous on this. It recommends against mandatory waiting periods, finding no evidence of benefit

point out the difficulties in that regard. The first and least problematic of the five issues concerns the amendments relating to the three-day waiting period. The arguments for and against the removal of that provision have been well aired in the public domain. I personally

basic limitations to the legislation as it stands. We have spoken about the recommendations and the stance of the WHO on the three-day wait and the 28-day piece, but also the criminal sanction that is faced by practitioners and the fear that creates within that occupation

Government has and which it has refused to act on. On that basis, we are happy to support the Bill. The three-day waiting period is an insult and is exacerbating the difficulties in accessing termination that women in the country are having to endure. The criminalisation

Minister, that a positive vote on this Bill tonight will see the Government engage seriously with the question of removing the three-day wait, bringing this matter back to the Dáil rapidly in order that this paternalistic treatment of women in our law can finally be ended

then we must also ask why HSE figures show that 10,000 women did not return after the initial consultation of the three-day waiting period between 2019 to 2024. That is 10,000 women; 10,000 moments when somebody stepped back; 10,000 moments when doubt entered

point. The point is that we support people in the decisions they make. A person has a three-day wait to make a decision to do something. If it is a financial issue or if they are in a relationship they do not want to be in, give

operating as intended and were causing real distress to women and clinicians. Third, the O'Shea report questioned whether the mandatory three-day waiting period was evidence based and recommended that it be optional. Figures have been cited here today regarding women who did not proceed with

been reached, there has already been reflection, and there has already been discussion, fear, emotion and heartbreak. This is why the mandatory three-day waiting period is wrong. For many women in my constituency, this was a huge issue that they spoke to me about on the doorsteps

achieve its stated objectives and ultimately may prove counterproductive. As the Minister pointed out, the amendment as drafted to remove the mandatory three-day waiting period has the potential to cause problems for existing medical law, but perhaps that is an issue that could be explored further

Government. This report found that the law is not working as it should. It recommended clear, practical changes, including removing the mandatory three-day waiting period, ending the criminalisation of doctors and providing clarity so that women facing fatal foetal diagnoses can access care here at home

issue for some of those who are travelling out of the country to have terminations. It is not all cases. The three-day wait and other issues in the legislation also need to be discussed. If we learned anything from the referendum, it was that

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will legislate to end the three-day wait for abortion services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4679/26

know whether there is any other law that imposes a three-day wait on any medical treatment. I do not know whether it applies when getting Viagra or rhinoplasty surgery. Forcing women to wait for a health treatment that is extremely time sensitive and very geographically difficult

given to the Irish people prior to the repeal of the eighth amendment. The issue of legislative change, including changes to the three-day wait, requires very careful consideration. I respect the different views on these benches and on the benches opposite regarding the next steps

forward. They were perfectly normal measures that the broad population agreed with but politicians were not willing to implement. The three-day wait requirement was put in the legislation to appease Simon Coveney and people like him. That is the reality. I was here and I remember

must also begin to develop proposals to achieve pay-related leave benefits and carer’s benefits. We would also have removed the three-day wait for jobseeker's benefit and moved towards a system based on hours worked rather than days, reflecting modern work practices and providing additional

report into the operation of legislation on the termination of pregnancy, providing clarity on terminations for medical reasons, removal of the 3 day waiting period, and ending the criminalisation of doctors. Next month marks eight years since we voted overwhelmingly to repeal the eighth amendment … women who are denied care as a result. One of the most glaring issues in the current legislation is the three-day mandatory waiting period. It pushes women closer to the 12-week limit and puts additional strain on already stretched GP services. No other area of healthcare

ensure that women who receive a devastating diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality no longer have to travel for care. It removes the three-day mandatory waiting period and provides more certainty about abortion in cases where a woman's health or life is at risk. It also clarifies

Then, we finally got the review and the recommendations were clear: the criminalisation of doctors, cases of fatal foetal abnormalities and the three-day mandatory waiting period all needed to go. The Government has had three years to act on that and it has not. I agree with

data shows that between 2019 and 2024, 10,426 women who attended an abortion appointment did not return after the three-day cooling-off and waiting period. That proves that those ladies took time to reflect and made a different decision to what they might have made

data provided to me through parliamentary questions. That data shows that thousands of women do not return after the three-day period. That is proof - proof that the waiting period gives women time, space and the chance to reconsider under pressure, coercion or crisis. What is truly staggering … speak about sovereignty when you will not even defend the sovereignty of the most basic human right - the right to life? The three-day period is one of the few remaining commitments that voters were told explicitly would be part of the 2018 framework and Sinn Féin