LOOK-BACK: How the fight to keep the 3 day wait won hearts and minds

In light of last week’s PRO-LIFE victory, take a look back at the consistent efforts of the pro-life movement to RETAIN the 3-day wait - and the Life Institute campaigns YOU made possible in this win for life. 

On Wednesday May 12th, the Dáil decisively voted down proposals brought forward by Social Democrats leader, Holly Cairns, to scrap the 3-day waiting period before abortion and expand the grounds for late-term abortions in Ireland. The vote was lost by an unambiguous 85 to 30, with some TDs signalling a serious apprehension about increasing Ireland’s skyrocketing abortion rate - though it must be noted from the outset that Sinn Féin TDs will be back with their own plans to scrap this essential period of reflection.

Lower Glanmire Road, Cork

O’Moore Street, Tullamore 

Fairview Strand, Dublin

However, we’d invite you to celebrate this hard-fought win for the pro-life movement in Ireland, which is a significant step towards turning back the tide on abortion in our country. You can read below how the campaigns YOU made possible were key to this win for Life! 

2021: Life Institute launches Nation-wide #RethinkAbortion billboard campaign

In 2021, almost 5 years ago, Life Institute launched a nation-wide #RethinkAbortion billboard campaign ahead of the scheduled review of abortion practices & services in Ireland. This campaign highlighted two key points: 13,243 abortions had taken place in the country in the 2 years that had elapsed since the repeal of the 8th amendment, and that the 3-day waiting period MUST be retained. 

Speaking to Gript back in October 2021, Megan Ní Scealláin of Life Institute said “Removing the three-day waiting period would be a disservice to women”, referencing figures released to Carol Nolan TD, showing a substantial difference between initial consultations for termination of pregnancy and the number of abortions that took place, suggesting some 870 women changed their mind after the initial consultation during the 3 day waiting period mandated in the legislation. 

We now know that this figure is even higher after almost 5 years, with recent figures released to Carol Nolan TD indicating that the number now stands at 10,000+ women who did not return for an abortion after the 3-day waiting period.

The nationwide billboards were the cause of a surge of phone calls and emails to the Life Institute office. Many people were horrified at these figures, which pro-abortion politicians would rather have kept buried.

The reaction of SocDem’s Holly Cairns in 2021

These billboards — simply stating pure facts — caused such a commotion even among sitting TDs, with Social Democrats’ Holly Cairns even demanding they be banned. The Irish Examiner reported that Ms Cairns and other abortion advocates had called on "Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly to outlaw such adverts", with the Social Democrat TD claiming that the billboards were "misleading".

"The only thing misleading about this farcical attempt to shut down debate is the ridiculous but revealing claim made by Ms Cairns," said Life Institute.

2022: Focused campaign urging the retention of the 3-day waiting period

In 2022, another billboard campaign was launched, with a more singular focus: “Help women choose life. KEEP THE 3-DAY WAIT”. 

The billboards, which could be seen in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Kerry, Galway and elsewhere, referenced the ongoing review of the abortion legislation, and said that retaining the 3-day wait period will 'help women choose life'. 

At the time, Megan Ní Scealláin of Life Institute said that data released to Carol Nolan TD and Peadar Tóibín TD suggested that an average of 1,000 women every year changed their mind during the 3-day period between the first visit to a GP and returning to procure abortion pills.

"Voters were promised in 2018 that the 3-day period would be part of "strict guidelines" around the operation of the abortion act. The then Tánaiste Simon Coveney said that these "strict guidelines" were important in persuading what he called "middle ground" voters who had a "traditionally pro-life" perspective to support the repeal. How can the government now be giving a sympathetic ear to those who want the 3-day wait scrapped?" she said.

At this time, three years post-Repeal, the abortion rate had reached over 21,000. "At least 21,000 babies have been aborted according to Junior Minister Mary Butler," said Ms Ní Scealláin. "That is more than the population of Sligo, one of the bigger population centres in the West. And that's the death toll from just three years." 

The 2022 billboard campaign was the centerpiece to an escalation of pro-life activity, including local newspaper adverts, social media campaigns and door-to-door leaflets.

Later in 2022, the “Help 1,000 women choose life” campaign began, urging people to contact their TD and tell them that the 3 day reflection period must be kept - citing the 1,000 fewer abortions as a result. “CALL YOUR TD TODAY to demand that the 3-day wait is retained - and that we need to help women choose life for their baby”, the campaign read. 

This campaign extended to newspapers, such as the Inishowen Independent, the Cork Independent, The Connaught Telegraph and more.

2023: The all-Ireland Rally for Life focus on the importance of the 3-day wait

In July 2023, a massive 10,000+ people attended the annual all-Ireland Rally for Life, which focused on calling attention to the sky-rocketing abortion rate, the 8,500+ abortions that occurred that year alone, and again, on the fight to keep the 3-day wait. See the 2023 leaflet below, which urged people to use their voice and contact their TD - reminding them of the promise made in 2018 regarding the 3-day waiting period. 

We fought hard against People Before Profit Bríd Smith’s Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Bill 2023. The bill passed the second stage by a narrow margin of 67 votes in favour and 64 against. This bill, before lapsing upon the dissolution of the Dáil, sought to decriminalise abortion in Ireland, remove the 3-day waiting period and expand grounds for late-term abortions. 

In 2023, as part of the actions taken to stop People Before Profit’s bill, Life Institute ran a successful social media campaign highlighting the abhorrent reality of what the bill was proposing: 

2024: NEW youth-led prolife group ‘Reclaim’ take to the streets of Dublin City to discuss abortion & the 3-day wait

On Saturdays in 2024, youth-led prolife group Reclaim would set up shop in Dublin City centre for their street sessions. Here they invited anyone, including younger generations, who wanted to talk about abortion in Ireland to join them for a chat — where they could open up about their questions about abortion without fear of judgement — to people who would listen and had the answers. 

As well as general discussion about the reality of abortion, aided by life-like models of the baby in the womb at various gestational points, Reclaim focused on making people aware of the 3-day waiting period as a safeguard - something almost everyone they spoke to could agree with. This essential work done by Reclaim was critical for spreading the word about the importance of retaining the life-saving 3-day wait.

2025: TDs vote not to restore abortion Bill brought forward by PBP’s Bríd Smith

The Private Members Bill, spearheaded by People Before Profit, lapsed on the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil in 2023, with TD Paul Murphy unsuccessful in his bid to have the legislation restored to the order paper. TDs opposed the legislation by 70 votes to 72 – with two additional people voting after a roll-call vote was sought by Mr Murphy, making the final result 71 to 73. 

2026: Pro-life VICTORY as Social Democrat’s Bill unambiguously defeated in Dáil

On Wednesday May 13th, the Irish pro-life movement breathed a collective sigh of relief as the most recent effort to abolish the 3-day waiting period before abortion and expand the grounds for horrifying late-term abortions was utterly rejected in the Dáil, by a large margin of 85 to 30 votes. 

The overwhelming defeat of this barbaric bill was largely as a result of the efforts of the general public when they contacted their TDs and local representatives to make their voices heard ahead of the vote on that Wednesday night.

Prior to the vote, Life Institute sent out a Press Release urging TDs to reject the bill, and warned that the measure could lead to an additional 2,000 abortion every year.

“The 3-day wait is essential for women, who should not be rushed into momentous decisions where they are all too-often made to feel they have no choice,” said Megan Ní Scealláin of Life Institute. “The 3-day wait before making such a huge decision is clearly a major factor in giving a number of women time to think, and preventing our abortion rate from being even worse than it already is. We know over 10,000 women did not return for an abortion after the 3-day period of reflection in the period from 2019 and 2024,” she added. Read the full Press Release here.

What happens now:

After extensive campaigning to retain the 3-day wait, Life Institute are now urging the government to “seize the chance to actually help women”, following the abortion bill defeat. The defeat of the proposal put forward by the Social Democrats to scrap the 3-day wait before abortion should now act as a catalyst for “positive action” from the government to “actually help women” and “reduce the spiralling abortion rate”, Life Institute spokeswoman Megan Ní Scealláin has said. 

“Despite the almost-blanket support from the media for the SocDems abortion bill, it was roundly defeated – and this should act as a catalyst for the government for positive action to help women and save lives,” said Ms Scealláin. “The government should now show leadership and compassion and  seize the chance to actually help women instead of listening to those who always see abortion as the first answer, and who have failed to provide positive solutions for both mother and baby.” Read the full article here.