Senator Sarah O’Reilly has issued an appeal following the Social Democrats’ move to remove the three-day waiting period, stating that women’s voices are being ignored in the rush to change the law.
New figures show that over a five-year period from 2019 to 2024, 10,426 women did not attend their second appointment for an abortion. That is 10,426 women who chose not to attend the second appointment.
“These women stepped back. They took time to think and they made a different choice. Yet not one of them has been followed up with. We have not asked why they didn’t return. We have not listened to their stories. We have not asked what supports might have helped them at that critical moment in their lives.”
Senator O’Reilly said the three-day waiting period provides a vital space for reflection at a time of immense pressure and vulnerability. She also questioned the recommendations from the 2023 abortion review.
“The reality is that some women are unsure, some feel overwhelmed, and some feel they have no real alternative. That short pause can be the only moment they have to breathe, to think, and to reconsider. Removing it risks silencing that moment entirely. Marie O’Shea recommended removing the 3 day wait without ever meeting or seeking to meet any of the women who didn’t attend that second appointment.”
Senator O’Reilly also pointed to the testimony of Ruth O’Sullivan, a nurse from West Cork, who has spoken openly about her experience of abortion regret:
“People who campaign for abortion often describe it as a ‘compassionate’ response to an unplanned or challenging pregnancy. I did at the time. I convinced myself it was. But that’s not all the story, because six years on, I assure you there’s nothing compassionate or dignified about it. And I will regret it till the day I die. There is a huge, huge shortfall of support—emotional support, practical support, physical support—you name it, anything at all around mothers, families who find themselves in the situation we were in.”
“Ruth’s voice is powerful because it is honest. It reminds us that the story does not end at the point of decision, and that for some women, the consequences are long-lasting and deeply painful,” Senator O’Reilly said.
“Will Holly Cairns want to hear the voices of these women, the 1 in 6 who didn’t come back? Or will their voices be erased because they might not fit a particular narrative?”
