Psychiatric detention of pregnant girl shows urgent need to repeal 8th amendment

Sectioning of girl the latest outrage caused by 8th amendment and the PLDP act says Brid Smith TD.

Comments by Varadkar example of politicians’ cowardice on this issue says TD.

People before Profit TD Brid Smith says that the news of the sectioning of a young girl who wanted a termination and was possibly suicidal because of the pregnancy, shows the urgent need to repeal the 8th amendment and scrap the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.

Deputy Smith says this latest case is “yet another example of how these inhuman and cruel laws are used to treat woman as second class citizens and deny them basic autonomy over their bodies.”

“This case yet again highlights the urgency of the Dail Committee on the Citizens’ Assembly completing its work as quickly as possible and allowing the people a referendum on repealing the 8th amendment”.

Deputy Smith will be raising several questions on this case in the Dail this week. These questions include finding out if the first psychiatrist involved had bypassed the abortion access process by using the Mental Health Act and if this effectively deprived this woman of her right under Section 10 to a review of her situation.
“The detaining of a young girl in these circumstances shows us how barbaric these laws are. Shame on this state and its legislators for allowing this! Shame on them for allowing the countless other cases from Miss Y to Savita Halappanavar. It is time to repeal the 8th and give women the right to choose.”

The TD also criticises comments from Leo Varadkar that the issue was a matter for the doctors concerned and not politicians. “This is a disgraceful example of the cowardice of the political parties like FF, FG and Labour; this should be a decision for the woman herself, the only reason it involved three doctors is because of the cowardice of parties like FG and politicians like Leo Varadkar”