Action on X

The Irish Times Reports :

A PRIVATE Members’ Bill which would provide for limited access to abortion will be introduced in the Dáil next week.

The Bill, to make abortion legal where there is a “real and substantial risk to the life” of the pregnant woman, will be introduced by Socialist Party TD Clare Daly in private members’ time and will be voted on in the House on April 19th.

Over 60 organisations and individuals, including seven TDs, two Senators, trade unions, academics and doctors have called for “immediate legislation in line with the ‘X’ case”.

More Here :

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0218/1224311978354.html

There is an impressive media round-up here :

Action on X After 20 Years

http://www.facebook.com/actiononx2012

Public Meeting on February 21

Speakers include:
Vincent Browne, Journalist and Broadcaster
Anthea McTeirnan, Journalist and Reproductive Rights Activist
Dr Fiona De Londras, UCD School of Law
Mick Wallace, Independent TD for Wexford
Ailbhe Smyth, Feminist Open Forum

http://www.facebook.com/actiononx2012

In the meantime Eamonn McCann has written a good article on this subject for the Belfast Telegraph :

 X’ marks spot for changes to anti-woman irrationality

He captures the spirit of those days well

As concern for the girl and outrage against her ‘internment’ grew, and demonstrations began outside embassies and consulates in Europe and the US, the case was hustled into the Supreme Court in record time.

The former diplomat Eamon Delaney, now a journalist in Dublin, has described younger staff members at the New York consulate photocopying leaflets for demonstrators outside who were running short of supplies.

Read the entire article here :

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/eamon-mccann/x-marks-spot-for-changes-to-antiwoman-irrationality-16115426.html

A Good Galway ULA Letter :

The X case 20 years on

Dear Editor,

Many young women today will not recall the so called ‘X Case’ when the high court attempted to bar a 14 year old rape victim known publicly as ‘X’ from seeking an abortion. Although the courts barred her from travelling, huge public anger poured onto the streets of Ireland at this decision. The establishment -judicial, political, and religious – were shaken to the core by the thousands of mainly young women, along with men, showing their disgust and outrage. This caused the government to state that the teenager ‘X’ could travel for a termination because she was ‘suicidal’.

February 2012 marks the twentieth anniversary of the X Case judgement and yet we still do not have legislation in line with the Supreme Court ruling of 1992 following from the X case.

In December 2010, the European Courts of Human Rights made a ruling on abortion in Ireland, yet we still do not have legislation. Over the last 20 years, there have been many campaigns organising petitions and demonstrations demanding legislation following the last two referendums held on this subject, yet we still have none.

This month the United Left Alliance and the technical group will put down a motion in the Dáil demanding that the Irish Government act to legislate on the right to abortion in Ireland, 20 years after the X case and one year after the C case judgment. We are calling on the Labour Party to vote this through as, although it is their party policy, we may need to remind them of this now that they are in government.

The FG/Labour government has now convened another expert committee, to consider how to implement the 20-year-old Supreme Court ruling on the X Case, and report back in a number of months.

The ULA says, “Enough procrastination!” We are calling on the Government to cease the denial of our rights, which we won through mass protests, to enact the democratic decisions of the people and introduce legislation.

Galway ULA will be holding a public meeting on this issue late February with key speakers on the legal, democratic, and human rights issues of the situation. Details will be announced.

Yours,

Dette Mc Loughlin,

Chairperson,

Galway United Left Alliance

http://galwayindependent.com/stories/item/1104/2012-7/The-X-case-20-years-on