July 8th: Speaking on Motion 35 (A Universal Health System – A Public Good) at the ICTU BDC, Unite’s Regional Equalities Officer Taryn Trainor today noted that women facing crisis pregnancies are among the victims of Ireland’s current two-tiered health system.

“As this motion states, those who can afford to pay can access healthcare more quickly than those unable to afford private health insurance.

“But there is a further inequality – one that affects women facing crisis pregnancies.  While the Eighth Amendment remains in place, some women will be able to travel to the United Kingdom and pay the clinic fees in order to obtain a termination.  Other women will travel despite the fact that they cannot afford it.

“And yet others will simply not be able to travel.

“As the old adage goes – those who can afford it, have abortions.  Those who can’t, have babies.

“This situation can only be remedied by repealing the Eighth Amendment, and then legislating for abortion.

“Women’s reproductive health must be central to the very necessary debate on equality and inequality with our health service”, Taryn Trainor concluded.