On Wednesday afternoon Minister Simon Harris reiterated that he was aiming for abortion services to be available free of charge in the Republic of Ireland, a landmark moment for reproductive health care and women's rights.
According to The Irish Examiner, Harris told reporters that the service must be free in order to stop women having to travel for cheaper options:
Yes, my intentions are that the service will be free. I've said from the start that I don't want cost to be a barrier, because if cost is a barrier you get into a situation where one of two things happen — you get abortion clinics to develop, or you can see people having to continue to travel. I want [abortion services] to be provided as part of our health care system, our public health care system, and part of our primary healthcare system.
Abortion rights campaigners have been pushing for the service to be free, safe and legal since campaigning to remove the Eighth Amendment began. The Abortion Rights Campaign shared the news on Twitter:
Great to get confirmation from the Minister for Health that abortion services in Ireland will be completely free. Accessible abortion care is a key part of reproductive justice: https://t.co/Bw58g9KlTs
— Abortion Rights IE (@freesafelegal) September 19, 2018
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On Tuesday, September 18, 2018, President Michael D Higgins signed the bill to remove the Eighth Amendment from the Irish Constitution after 66.4% of the Irish public voted to remove it from the constitution back in May.
Legislation is expected to be passed by the cabinet next week and put to the Dáil in the first week of October.
The Eight Amendment was voted into law in 1983 during the height of Catholic influence on Irish life. Abortion remains prohibited under most circumstances in Northern Ireland.
