Attempts to fully decriminalise abortion as part of new legislation have failed in the Dáil.

Independent TD Clare Daly said the move to decriminalise abortion was one of the most important of the 65 amendments proposed for the abortion bill. “We are here at an important juncture and if we pass this legislation but maintain a criminal sanction in it, I think we are failing. We need to move away from associating abortion with a 14 year jail term.”

She said that failing to remove criminal sanctions would leave a “chill factor” for doctors and could leave healthcare services open to “malicious reporting”.People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that healthcare professionals were fearful of prosecution. “Doctors seeking to ensure the health and welfare of women in pregnancy situations are now going to be labouring under an anxiety and fear that if they do certain things they may be guilty of a criminal offense and subjected to a 14 year sentence. That to my mind is patently unacceptable.”

The Minister said that criminalisation was necessary from a policy perspective and that to remove it may put the life or health of a woman at risk. He pointed out that under the Bill the woman herself would never face criminal sanction. Rather, the Bill would protect women who were forced into seeking an abortion, or where there was a dominant personality pushing them toward one or where there was sexual abuse. Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher voiced his agreement with Mr Harris. The amendment was defeated.