The Workers’ Party have given a cautious welcome to the final report of the Oireachtas Committee on the 8^th Amendment this afternoon (Wednesday)

The Party’s Meath representative Seamus McDonagh welcomed in particular the decision of the committee to recommend that women be given full choice to obtain a termination up until 12 weeks after conception.

However Mr. McDonagh said the committee had left in place a number of excessive limitations which would continue to force women to travel abroad.  In particular, women whose foetus reveals a non-fatal abnormality later in pregnancy would be forced to travel out of the country to end a pregnancy.

He said it is now incumbent on the government to proceed as soon as possible with a referendum to Repeal the 8^th amendment.

Mr. McDonagh said: “For 34 years Article 40.3.3 has been a stain on the Irish constitution and has caused economic and personal hardship for tens of thousands of women who have been forced to go abroad for an abortion.  There must now be no further delays in bringing forward the bill for a referendum to repeal the amendment”.