Miss Y

Miss Y is a woman who unsuccessfully sought to have an abortion in Ireland.[1][2] Her baby was delivered via caesarian section, but there is ongoing controversy over whether the government handled the case appropriately.[3][4]

Case Details

On 28 March 2014 a foreign national, with limited English[5] arrived in Ireland.[6] She claimed to have been raped in her home country. She discovered she was pregnant on 4 April, when she arrived in Ireland, and she sought an abortion.[7]

On 1 July 2014, she attempted to travel to the UK via ferry, but was arrested upon arrival for illegally entering the UK.[6][8] She said that she felt suicidal, and the two psychiatrists on the panel decreed that she indeed was suicidal. She then went on hunger strike. The HSE obtained a High Court order to hydrate her.[5] The baby was delivered via caesarian section at 25 weeks gestation.[3]

This was the first case under Ireland's recent law, Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.[5]

Reaction

Investigation

The case is being investigated by the HSE.[9][10] A draft version was leaked to the media in September 2014, before Ms Y had been interviewed.[11]

Protests

International Media Attention

As well as Irish national media attention (in the Irish Times,[7] the Irish Independent,[15] and the Irish Examiner[16]), the case is being covered by international media, such as Al Jazeera's The Stream,[17] The Guardian[3] and The Sunday Times,[5] The New York Times[18]

References

  1. ↑ McEnroe, Juno (August 21, 2014). "Minister joins calls for public forum on law change after teen rape case". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  2. ↑ Holland, Kitty (2014-09-03). "Government ‘reflecting’ on abortion legislation, says Reilly". The Irish Times.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Valenti, Jessica (2014-08-18). "A pregnant, suicidal rape victim fought Ireland's new abortion law. The law won". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Protests to call for repeal of 8th amendment". Irish Examiner. 2014-08-20.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Tighe, Mark (2014-08-17). "State ‘denied abortion’ to rape victim". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 2014-08-18.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Holland, Kitty (2014-11-07). "Report on Ms Y case to include journey to Liverpool to seek abortion". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2014-11-07.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Holland, Kitty; Mac Cormaic, Ruadhán (2014-08-19). "They said they could not do an abortion. I said, 'You can leave me now to die. I don’t want to live in this world anymore'". The Irish Times.
  8. ↑ Holland, Kitty (2014-11-10). "Ms Y held in UK after failing to obtain abortion here". The Irish Times.
  9. ↑ "HSE review terms on abortion case being considered by representatives of woman at centre of case". RTÉ. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  10. ↑ "HSE publish terms of reference for abortion case review". 2014-08-22.
  11. ↑ "Department of Health slammed HSE over 'Ms Y' care". 2014-09-28.
  12. ↑ McMahon, Aine (2014-08-20). "Thousands at Dublin pro-choice march over Irish abortion laws". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  13. ↑ McGuire, Erin (Aug 23, 2014). "Both sides of abortion debate air views in Dublin demonstrations". The Irish Times.
  14. ↑ "HSE to commence abortion inquiry immediately". Aug 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ McDonald, Dearbhail; Sheahan, Fionnan (2014-08-16). "Baby delivered as woman refused abortion under law". Irish Independent.
  16. ↑ "HSE to show terms of abortion-case review to woman's representatives before publication".
  17. ↑ "Ireland's abortion debate reignites". The Stream. 2014-08-21. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  18. ↑ Dalby, Douglas (2014-08-17). "Case in Which Abortion Was Denied Reignites Controversy Over Irish Law". The New York Times.

See also