Life Institute submission to Health Committee: scrapping three-day wait “a significant betrayal of voter trust”

The Life Institute has submitted their observations on the Health (Abolition of the Three Day Wait Rule) Amendment Bill 2026 to the Joint Committee on Health.

The submission centres around several arguments against the removal of the three-day wait.

It highlights how the mandatory three-day waiting period “was promised to voters as a safeguard during the campaign to repeal the 8th, being proposed as a measure to persuade undecided voters”, and therefore deleting this “time to think would be a significant betrayal of voter trust and a breach of those assurances.”

The report heavily emphasises the fact that the efforts being made to scrap the three-day wait are based on the recommendations of barrister Marie O’Shea who lead the official 2023 abortion review — and admitted to not speaking to a single woman who benefited from this waiting period:

Yet when Ms O’Shea took questions on the review at an Oireachtas Health Committee hearing, she admitted that the review did not speak to a single woman who changed her mind during the mandatory three-day waiting period … 

Our engagement with the public on the issue leads us to believe that it is the opinion of most reasonable people that a failure to engage with women who did not abort their baby after the 3-day wait is inexplicable. It also fatally undermines the credibility of the recommendation.”

This stands out starkly against the reality that over 10,000 women between 2019 and 2024 did not return for their follow up appointment after their initial consultation with their GP regarding obtaining an abortion.

In addition, the submission draws attention to Ireland’s already soaring abortion rate, which now stands at approximately 11,000 unborn lives being ended via abortion annually.

“1 in every 6 babies in Ireland now has their life ended by abortion. Our birth rate has collapsed and is far below replacement level.”

Listening to women: the testimonies of Róisín and Esme

The Life Institute urges the Committee “take the time to read the stories of women whose experiences are central to our understanding of the importance of the 3-day wait”.

In the submission are excerpts from the exclusive interview with a woman named Róisín*, featured on Life Institute’s site.

Róisín says she was denied her right to the 3 day period to reflect. The question that must be asked is - if Sinn Féin’s bill becomes law, how many more of these cases will we see?”. 

Róisín rang her GP seeking an abortion and had an appointment made for the following day. During this appointment, not only was Róisín not made aware of the mandatory three-day wait — she was given the first abortion pill then and there. No questions asked.

Esme* discovered she was pregnant at an extraordinarily difficult time in her life. Between a plethora of unresolved issues and a severe mental health condition, the news of pregnancy was not received well by herself or her partner. As a result, abortion was suggested and encouraged.

However, due to the three-day wait, Esme said she had time to breathe and think after that first appointment.

Roisin’s and Esme’s stories provide crucial information on real, lived experiences of women who benefited from the three-day waiting period, and suffered as a result of its absence.

*Names changed to preserve anonymity

Medical professionals ‘strongly urge’ the retention of the 3-day wait

The Life Institute’s submission also draws attention to the fact that “more than 100 doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, including consultants, obstetricians and senior medical staff in maternity services, have signed an open letter “strongly urging” the retention of the 3-day period of reflection before undergoing an abortion.”

“The letter says that there “is no medical basis” for scrapping the 3-day wait and that scrapping the reflection period might significantly increase the number of abortions taking place.”

It draws attention to a letter in the Irish Times from a Wicklow GP, Dr Truls Christiansen, who worked in abortion provision “from the beginning”. He said:

I feel the minimum of three days to contemplate an abortion is essential. The majority of women I met came in various degrees of distress over an unwanted pregnancy … I am of the opinion that to have an abortion is the lesser of two evils, and should not be treated lightly. I think it is being treated lightly if this contemplating period is taken away”

Life Institute’s submission can be read in full here.