Labour Youth welcomes Repeal Win
Labour Youth has today welcomed the emphatic Yes win to remove the 8th Amendment of the Constitution
Speaking on the historic win, Labour Youth Chairperson Chloe Manahan said “Saturday’s result is a testament to the Irish people and to the campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment. Gone from the constitution is our nation’s most hypocritical nimbyism – forcing people at some of the most vulnerable times of their lives to take some of the scariest journeys alone. The margin by which Yes won sends a strong message of solidarity and destigmatisation to Irish women.
“Perhaps the landslide win was not expected by many. It was no coincidence, however, resulting from the hard work and tenacious campaigning done in this country for the last 35 years and beyond. Ireland owes gratitude to groups such as the Abortion Rights Campaign and Choice Ireland.
“This weekend, we also remember the contribution of the Labour Party to the Anti-Amendment Campaign, the sustained campaign from Labour Youth and Labour Women over the years to campaign for a repeal of the 8th Amendment, and the work of individual Labour activists, in particular Ivana Bacik, whose sacrifice and contribution to this cause has been immeasurable. At the core of this success, however, was the resilient and passionate grassroots campaign, filled with genuine activists fighting for what they knew was right.
“This campaign has demonstrated how effective we can be as campaigners when we collaborate with each other. The momentum of this effort should not end with abortion rights. While this win is something to be celebrated, much remains to be done to create an equal and caring Ireland.
“We have a duty not to forget those who campaigned alongside the repeal movement, but have their own battles to fight themselves. Our solidarity must extend both ways, and the national campaign to fight homelessness and ensure the rights of the working class, migrants, those in Northern Ireland who lack abortion services, and members of the LGBTQIA* community should be of the same calibre as that which we have seen for repeal.
“Legislating for abortion must be swift. Our politicians have been given as clear a mandate as possible by the Irish people and they must honour this responsibility. Labour Youth is calling for the immediate decriminalisation of abortion pills in Ireland. We are further calling for the government to quickly legislate for abortion in this country in line with the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee.”