Government should not hide behind Attorney General to overrule the Dáil committee on Eighth Amendment

Brid Smith calls for simple repeal  

Press Release- Bríd Smith TD, People Before Profit 29/01/2018

Bríd Smith has urged the Cabinet to set a date in May for a simple referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment from the constitution.

Citing recent opinion polls, the TD stated that the tide had turned on this issue and people are supportive of giving women the right to choose.

It will not be acceptable if the Cabinet ignore the findings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee by following the expected advice of the Attorney General. The Oireachtas Committee also was presented with legal advice that supported a simple repeal.

Deputy Smith stated, “The Attorney General is a political appointee, and his opinion would be just a legal opinion not a statement of fact.

“The opinion of the then Attorney General, Peter Sutherland, in 1993 not to put the current wording into the constitution was ignored by the Government of the day, while other opinions from that office saw no wrong with interning a 14 year old rape victim to prevent her accessing abortion in Britain. Opinions from Attorney Generals should not be treated as fonts of wisdom.”

Ends

Contact- Bríd Smith TD- 087 909 0166

Nick Lee (Press Officer) – 087 615 6473

Press Release- Bríd Smith TD, People Before Profit

29/01/2018