Taoiseach comments on abortion “an insult to women and avoids real issues on abortion services”

People Before Profit Dublin South Central TD Bríd Smith says Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s comments on abortion were ‘unhelpful and frankly insulting to those women and girls who face real and substantial obstacles in accessing abortion care.’

The TD said that it is irrelevant what the Taoiseach’s personal views are.

The reality, which was exposed by the O’Shea review, was that women and girls faced hurdles accessing care and the task of his government was to remove those hurdles and provide safe and accessible care.

Deputy Smith said the terms of the review did not seek to interrogate the reason some women didn’t return for a second appointment, adding: “But given the real and substantial difficulty faced in finding a GP to provide the care in some areas it was hardly surprising that women made alternative arrangements.

“It remains insulting and condescending to women to place this restriction- it isn’t helping, it’s hindering, and is likely to be adding to the hundreds that continue to have to travel abroad to access a service that the country voted overwhelmingly for just 5 years ago.”

The TD said that the Taoiseach should be ‘more concerned with the plight of hundreds of women forced to travel abroad because of failings in the legislation and not his own personal views on seeking less abortions.’

The TD renewed her call for her Bill, which seeks to remove the 3-day waiting period and other restrictions, to move to committee stage and for the government to support its passage into law.