Jun 18, 2026 · 25 min · 9 segments
Something unusual happened in the Dáil this week when a Sinn Féin proposal to scrap the three-day waiting period for abortion passed. An opposition bill getting through is rare enough, but this one…
Christina FinnPanelist
Christine BohanHost
Jane MatthewsPanelist
Ronan DuffyPanelist
This was, of course, Sinn Féin's motion to get rid of the three-day waiting period that women have to go through when they're seeking an abortion.
It passed by 86 votes to 70, even though a lot of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs voted against it.
Christina, how did this vote end up passing, given what we said about it being so unusual?
I think unusual and rare are the two words that come to mind when you're describing how this all came to play out.
The Sinn Féin Bill, as you mentioned, sought to scrap the three day waiting period for those who are seeking an abortion.
It was sort of a simple bill to some degree in terms of it was only dealing with one aspect within the legislation.
And I think a lot of people, when this was being debated and when it was raised in the Dáil last week, kind of were shocked and surprised to see the Taoiseach Micheál Martin say that he was actually going to support the bill and back it.
I think a lot of people were kind of listening and looked up and were like, God, this is strange.
Because oftentimes you have, as you said, these opposition bills, they come and go and they get voted down, given that the government has the majority there.
But TDs yesterday going in to vote to remove that three day waiting period, some 86 TDs voted in favour of scrapping lockdowns.
And as you mentioned, a mixed bag when it comes to government TDs, both within Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael, when it comes to this issue.
On an issue of abortion like this, when there is legislation proposed from opposition sides, The government parties do give TDs a free vote.
This was, of course, Sinn Féin's motion to get rid of the three-day waiting period that women have to go through when they're seeking an abortion.
It passed by 86 votes to 70, even though a lot of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs voted against it.
Christina, how did this vote end up passing, given what we said about it being so unusual?
I think unusual and rare are the two words that come to mind when you're describing how this all came to play out.
The Sinn Féin Bill, as you mentioned, sought to scrap the three day waiting period for those who are seeking an abortion.
It was sort of a simple bill to some degree in terms of it was only dealing with one aspect within the legislation.
And I think a lot of people, when this was being debated and when it was raised in the Dáil last week, kind of were shocked and surprised to see the Taoiseach Micheál Martin say that he was actually going to support the bill and back it.
I think a lot of people were kind of listening and looked up and were like, God, this is strange.
Because oftentimes you have, as you said, these opposition bills, they come and go and they get voted down, given that the government has the majority there.
But TDs yesterday going in to vote to remove that three day waiting period, some 86 TDs voted in favour of scrapping lockdowns.
And as you mentioned, a mixed bag when it comes to government TDs, both within Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael, when it comes to this issue.
On an issue of abortion like this, when there is legislation proposed from opposition sides, The government parties do give TDs a free vote.
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