Ireland’s Dáil has defeated a Social Democrats bill that sought to remove the mandatory three-day reflection period for abortions up to 12 weeks and widen the grounds for late-term abortions. The Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026 was rejected on Second Stage by a vote of 85-30.
Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy said: “The defeat of the Social Democrats’ bill to abolish the life-saving three-day wait and widen the grounds for late-term abortion was hard-fought and is a very encouraging result. With the heartbreaking tragedy of 1 in 6 pregnancies now ending in abortion in Ireland, the Social Democrats pushed things too far tonight — and they got their answer.”
Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn called the three-day period “an important safeguard,” asking: “If the position of the Social Democrats is a moral certainty, then the question for it is why is it afraid of three days?” Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín argued the period allows time to reflect on a “massive decision.” Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the legislation as containing “significant flaws.”
The PLC cautioned that the threat is not over, noting that some politicians voted against the bill for tactical reasons in order to advance their own pro-abortion legislation at a later stage.