Labour Women establish Commission on Repeal of the 8th Amendment

LABOUR WOMEN ESTABLISH COMMISSION ON REPEAL OF THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT

Labour Women, the women’s section of the Labour Party, has established a Labour Women Commission on Repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution (Article 40.3.3).

This Commission is tasked with examining the best legal and political strategies to accomplish:

1. Repeal of Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution in its entirety;

2. The introduction of detailed legislation providing for the circumstances in which abortion may legally take place.

This Commission constitutes the Chairperson of Labour Women, Sinead Ahern; five members of the Labour Parliamentary Party (four TDs and one Senator); a Labour Councillor; one person each from Labour Youth and Labour Lawyers; and the Labour Women’s Officer.

It is chaired by an independent person, former Senator Dr Mary Henry; and is being assisted by a panel of other independent experts, both legal and medical (including obstetric, psychiatric, nursing, midwifery and GP experts).

The full membership of the Commission and independent expert panel is listed below.

The members of the Parliamentary Labour Party who are members of the Committee are: Senator Ivana Bacik (Rapporteur); Ciara Conway TD; Anne Ferris TD; Aodhan O Riordain TD; and Emmet Stagg TD.

The Commission has been asked by Labour Women to prepare its report, including a draft of legislation, in January 2015, to be presented to the annual Labour Party conference in February 2015.

 Membership of the Committee
Chairperson – Dr. Mary Henry
Parliamentary Labour Party members Senator Ivana Bacik - Rapporteur, Ciara Conway TD, Anne Ferris TD, Aodhan O Riordain TD, Emmet Stagg TD.
Chairperson of Labour Women Sinead Ahern
Labour Councillor Cllr Rebecca Moynihan
Labour Youth Women’s Officer Eleanor McKenna
Labour Lawyers Cllr Jane Horgan Jones
Labour Women’s Officer Billie Sparks

Independent Advisory Panel
Medical Experts
Dr Peter Boylan, Dr Mary Favier, Dr Joan Lalor, Mary Higgins, Dr Mark Murphy, Prof Veronica O’Keane.
Legal Experts
Dr Sorcha Ui Chonnachyaigh, Dr Vicky Conway, Dr. Mary Donnelly, Prof Fiona De Londras, Mairead Enright, Dr Ruth Fletcher, Natalie McDonnell BL, Dr Sheelagh McGuinness,  Dr Claire Murray, Dr Sinead Ring.