Social Democrats introduce bill to update Ireland’s abortion laws

The Social Democrats are calling for an end to the three-day waiting period

The Social Democrats are calling for an urgent change to the 'patronising and paternalistic' abortion laws in Ireland. Holly Cairns and her party are fighting for an end to the three-day waiting period for abortions.

Ireland's current abortion legislation includes a mandatory three-day waiting period after a patient's initial consultation with a doctor and before the medical procedure.

They're also calling for an end to travelling for cases with fatal foetal abnormalities.

The Social Democrats have also called for the decriminalisation of doctors for providing abortion services.

In a statement, they said it's time to fight for more when it comes to Ireland's abortion laws.

"Eight years ago, together, we legalised abortion access in Ireland. But that was the bare minimum. It’s time to go back for more.

"We’re calling for:
No travelling for cases with fatal foetal abnormalities.
No more three-day wait.
Decriminalise doctors for providing abortion services."

They stressed, "We need to deliver on the promise of Repeal."

They're urging people to contact their TDs to ask them to support the Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026.

Party leader, Holly Cairns, told The Journal: “It is now seven years since our abortion law was enacted and three years since an expert review found a range of problems with it. Every month that passes, without action, is a month in which more and more women are failed."

People have been campaigning to end the three-day waiting period for abortion for years now.

The Irish Family Planning Association confirmed there's no scientific support behind the mandatory abortion waiting period.

The report said that "mandatory waiting periods inject an unfounded concern about decisional uncertainty in relation to pregnancy into laws."

It also "demonstrates a distrust of pregnant women’s capacity to make autonomous decisions about their reproductive health and future."

The World Health Organisation has also called for waiting periods for abortion to be abolished.

WHO also views them as "medically unnecessary barriers" that often heighten anxiety and stress, and also demean a woman's ability to make her own medical decisions. Women in Ireland can have an abortion if their pregnancy is no more than 12 weeks.

This means 84 days since the first day of your last period.

After 12 weeks, you can only have an abortion in exceptional circumstances, including if your life is at risk, or if the pregnancy will cause serious harm to your health.

You can also have an abortion after 12 weeks if the pregnancy is likely to lead to the death of the fetus either before or within 28 days of birth, because of a problem with its development.

Cairns said this bill will remove the “patronising and paternalistic three-day mandatory waiting period."