The Life Institute has accused government Ministers of aligning themselves “with extremists on abortion” after a People before Profit Bill which sought to legalise abortion on demand to 6 months, and would have decriminalised abortion up to birth, was narrowly defeated in the Dáil yesterday evening.
Sinn Féin supported the proposal on the bill, as did Health Minister Jennifer O’Carroll MacNeill and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, while Minister Jack Chambers also supported it.
The legislation previously passed the second stage in June 2023, but fell automatically with the dissolution of the last Dáil for the 2024 election as it had not proceeded further at that stage.
People Before Profit Deputy Paul Murphy sought to have the legislation restored to the order paper – a bid rejected in the first electronic vote by by 72 votes to 70. Deputy Murphy then asked for a roll call vote which saw the chamber decide by a narrow 73 to 71 margin not to restore the abortion legislation.
The Bill, entitled an Act to amend the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, would have legalised abortion on demand up to viability (generally held to be around 24 weeks or 6 months), and abolished the 3-day waiting period for abortion.
It also sought to broaden the grounds for abortion where the unborn child has a life-limiting condition – and to completely decriminalise the provision of abortion.
While Aontú, Independent Ireland and other Independent TDs opposed the bill, along with TDs from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, government TDs had a free vote on the proposal.
Fine Gael Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee voted in favour of the legislation being restored to the order paper. Ministers of State Emer Higgins and Colm Brophy abstained
Fianna Fáil Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers also voted in favour of restoring the Bill, as did Fianna Fáil TDs Malcolm Byrne and Naoise Ó Cearúil.
TDs from Sinn Fein, Labour, the Social Democrats and a number of Independents voted in favour of the proposal.
Speaking to Gript today, Sandra Parda of the Life Institute said that voting to support abortion on demand to 6 months was a “complete breach of the promises made to the Irish people in the 2018 referendum on abortion”,
“When this bill was voted on in 2023, then Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’ acknowledged that it “goes miles beyond what people voted for” in the 2018 abortion referendum, yet we have three Ministers from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael now supporting this extreme position,” she said.
“It’s disturbing to see these Ministers standing with extremists on abortion and it will especially jar with many voters given that this extreme legislation almost passed at Christmas time when we celebrate the birth of a Child in Bethlehem.”
The Life Institute spokeswoman said that it is “absolutely absurd that, at a time when Ireland’s birth rates are plummeting and abortion rates spiralling, TDs are seeking to further liberalise abortion.”
“There were almost 11,000 abortions in 2024, and likely almost 60,000 abortions so far to date since January 2019. It’s appalling and a complete failure of the State in regard to both mother and child,” she said.
“Yet when it comes to abortion, mostly because of the media’s support for liberalising it further, the extremist view in the Dáil is gaining ground,” Ms Parda said.
“It is perturbing to see a Health Minister vote in favor of abortion on demand to 6 months – especially given that party’s denial that this would ever happen in the referendum, and given that a Health Minister should understand that a preborn child is a human being,” she said.
“Sinn Féin, and Ministers like Helen McEntee and Jack Chambers and Jennifer Carroll McNeill are completely out of touch with the public on this. They have aligned themselves with the extremists on abortion and that will be highlighted.”
“How many abortions does the Minister possibly want to take place?” she asked.
HOW DID TDS VOTE?
Aontú TDs voted against the bill as did Independent Ireland TDs and other Independents.
The Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Labour and a number of Independents voted in favour of the proposal, as did the Sinn Fein TDs who were present.
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill voted in favour of the legislation being restored, as did Minister for Expenditure, Jack Chambers, who had voted no in the 2018 abortion referendum.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan voted against the Bill to decriminalise abortion, as did Fianna Fáil’s Mary Butler, who has served as Government Chief Whip since January 2025, and who campaigned for a No vote in the abortion referendum.
Party colleague Deputy Albert Dolan joined them in voting no, alongside Deputies John Connolly, Martin Daly, Cathal Crowe, Sean Fleming, and Aindrias Moynihan.
Fianna Fáil Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Niall Collins TD and party colleague Charlie McConalogue, Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, also voted no. Minister Michael Moynihan and Minister Niamh Smyth were also among those who voted against.
Erin McGreehan TD and Aisling Dempsey TD, who were both elected at the last general election for the party, also voted no.
Minister Alan Dillon of Fine Gael voted no, as did his party colleagues Minister Martin Heydon and Minister for Culture, Patrick O’Donovan.
Fine Gael Minister Emer Higgins was among a number of TDs who abstained, whilst Minister for Defence Helen McEntee voted in favour.
Seán Canney TD was among Independents who voted no, as was Marian Harkin TD, Mattie McGrath TD, Danny Healy-Rae TD, Carol Nolan TD, Paul Gogarty TD, Michael Lowry TD, Gillian Toole TD, and Minister Michael Healy-Rae.