Ireland’s parliament voted on Wednesday night to eliminate the compulsory three‑day waiting period for abortions performed in early pregnancy, a change championed by campaigners who described the rule as an unnecessary restriction.
The Dáil’s approval clears the way for the bill to move to a parliamentary committee, with the prospect of becoming law later this year or the next.
Supporters hailed the measure as one of the most consequential reforms to women’s healthcare since the 2018 referendum that repealed the constitutional ban on abortion. Opponents argued it overturns a safeguard that was endorsed by voters.
Mary Lou McDonald, leader of Sinn Féin and sponsor of the legislation, said, “Women, healthcare providers and campaigners have long called for this unnecessary barrier to be removed.”
Under the previous law, women seeking an abortion up to 12 weeks were required to wait three days before receiving the necessary medication. The waiting period was introduced into draft legislation before the 2018 referendum to secure support from voters who were uncertain about legalising abortion.
The bill passed with 86 deputies voting in favour and 70 against. The centrist coalition government of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael allowed its members a free conscience vote.
While most deputies from both parties opposed the change, a handful of cabinet ministers—including Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris—joined other party colleagues in supporting the Sinn Féin proposal, which also received backing from left‑wing opposition parties.
Fine Gael deputy Barry Ward, who voted for the bill, said, “You don’t have to think abortion is a good or desirable thing to believe that it is a matter for each individual to decide if it is right for them. We must presume that women will consider such an important decision carefully, and a mandatory three‑day waiting period assumes the opposite.”
A 2022 review of the legislation by barrister Marie O’Shea recommended eliminating the waiting period and easing other restrictions.
Proponents of the three‑day rule argued that it was endorsed in the referendum and gave women time to reflect on a significant decision. They pointed to official statistics indicating that roughly 10,400 women did not return for a second abortion consultation after the waiting period between 2019 and 2024.
Fianna Fáil junior minister Robert Troy noted that some voters supported legalisation of abortion on the condition that certain “protections and safeguards,” including the three‑day wait, were maintained, adding, “It doesn’t do politics any justice to roll back a short time later and try to change things.”
Peadar Tóibín, leader of the Aontú party, said there was no public appetite for removing the waiting period, asserting, “Many people who voted for repeal are angry.”
