Abstract
For decades, questions of whether, how, and when pregnant people living in Ireland can access abortion have been a matter of contention. The Constitution recognised the right to life of unborn and first step to meaningful law reform is unavoidably a referendum to remove this provision (the 8th Amendment). That referendum will take place in 2018. This paper analyses a sample of submissions from public made to a 'Citizens Assembly' established to consider constitutional reform, in order to identify kinds of arguments that inform submissions in favour of, and against, repeal. This analysis shows that, rather than technical and technocratic arguments that now dominate elite discourses about abortion law reform in Ireland, first principles arguments about fetal personhood and rights, on one hand, and women's autonomy on other dominate these submissions. If this is reflective of popular discourse on reform, it may be taken to indicate shape of debates that will dominate 2018 referendum to repeal 8th Amendment.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
