Tuesday 21 February 2017

AIMSI Statement - Citizens' Assembly Invitations to Present: 22nd February 2017


AIMSI Statement - Citizens' Assembly Invitations to Present: 22nd February 2017

Aims Ireland were very disappointed that we were not asked to present on the topic of maternity care to the Citizens Assembly
AIMSI made a detailed submission to the Citizens' Assembly on the ramifications of the 8th Amendment on continued pregnancy and childbirth.
As an organisation who has campaigned a decade on this issue, conducted research, and supported many pregnant women/people directly affected, we are disappointed that our extensive experience of the ramifactions of the 8th amendment on maternity care, maternity services and maternity users will not be heard.
AIMSI was asked to make a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee in January 2013 (public submission on the Expert Group Report on A,B,C v Ireland - it is published on the Oireachtas website) and made a submission in May of 2013 on the Heads of PLDP Bill.
The ramifications of the 8th Amendment on abortion and the maternity continuum are inherently interlinked. The HSE directly citing the 8th as a barrier to consent once a woman/person becomes pregnant, effectively ensuring that every pregnancy in Ireland is potentially affected. We feel this is a key and overlooked aspect in discussions surrounding repeal of the 8th.
The many thousands of women/people we have supported and continue to support will also share our disappointment.
Speaking earlier today AIMSI Chair Krysia Lynch said "Any maternity service wrorth its salt in the 21st Century would not export women for routine health care procedures to another country, or leave them to self care without professional medical support in their own country. Any maternity service worth its salt would not have to enshrine a consent policy which effectively denies every woman and pregnant person in Ireland the final say in what happens to their body. These issues affect women, pregnant people and their families in continued pregnancy every day in Ireland, We estimate approximately 103,000 users of the maternity services are affected every year."

ENDS