Kildare TD's split on removal of three-day mandatory wait for access to abortion services
Kildare TD’s were split on 4-4 on the bill to remove the three-day mandatory wait for access to abortion services
The Dáil has voted in favour of the Sinn Féin bill to remove the three-day mandatory wait for access to abortion services. The vote was carried by 86 votes to 70 and will now go before an Oireachtas committee for further scrutiny.
The Kildare TD’s who voted on the bill were relatively split with five voting Yes; Réada Cronin (Sinn Féin),Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Sinn Féin), Aidan Farrelly (Social Democrats), Naoise Ó Cearúil (Fianna Fáil) and Mark Wall (Labour), while the three No votes came from Fine Gael duo Martin Heydon, Joe Neville alongside Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl.
The majority of Fianna Fáil TDs voted against the move to remove the three-day wait for abortion services, including five members of Cabinet. In total, 30 Fianna Fáil TDs voted against the bill, 12 voted for it (one being Naoise Ó Cearúil), while six others were absent (one of which was Kildare North’s James Lawless).
23 Fine Gael TDs voted against the bill, including Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and the aforementioned Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon.
TD’s who voted both Yes and No to the bill have been contacted for further comment.