The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has today called on students across Ireland to get out and have their say on the issue of the Eighth Amendment. The call comes after the recommendation from the Citizens’ Assembly on a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment with 87% of the assembly members voting to repeal the Eighth Amendment in it’s current form.
Speaking at the Citizens’ Assembly meeting today, USI President Annie Hoey said, “the results from the Citizens’ Assembly today show that Ireland is ready and wants change to our abortion laws. Access to reproductive healthcare is clearly the desire of the people. The members of the Citizens’ Assembly showed incredible consideration and due diligence trying to work through the various options laid out before them ensuring the best possible result for women’s health and reproductive choices here in Ireland. Today is an important day signifying a time for change in Ireland. The students of Ireland are ready for a referendum and we are calling on the political leadership to respond to the Citizens’ Assembly recommendation for a referendum on this issue and to take heed of their recommendations for legislation. If our leadership do not hear our call, we will come knocking and marching for an answer”.
USI President Annie Hoey also stated, “since 1983 USI have been campaigning for full access to reproductive choice and to have the issue of women’s health taken out of the constitution. Students will lead the charge in ensuring their peers and young people are registered to vote, fully informed of the issue and engaging their fellow citizens in educating people on this topic. We will win this referendum and show the power of students voters once again taking momentum of 64% of Citizens’ Assembly supporting access to abortion with no restriction as to reasons.”
The President of the USI, Annie Hoey addressed the Citizens’ Assembly on March 5th 2017 calling for a repeal of the Eighth Amendment and the introduction of free, safe and legal abortion services in Ireland. USI are a pro-choice organisation and represent 354,000 students across the island of Ireland.
See USI’s presentation to the Citizens’ Assembly – https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/Meetings/Union-of-Students-in-Ireland-s-Paper.pdf