25.03.2026: Government Must Tackle Alarming Increase in Forced Abortion
Oireachtas members call for “truly independent taskforce” to address the issue
(Senators Sarah O’Reilly and Senator Sharon Keogan at Leinster House today. Pictured with (L-R) Eilis Mulroy and Georgina Owens of the Pro Life Campaign)
Female members of the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group have called on the Government to establish a dedicated taskforce to tackle what they describe as an “alarming increase” in coercive abortion cases in recent times.
The call follows a number of recent court cases in which men were jailed for violent attacks on their partners, with courts hearing that forcing women to take abortion pills formed a core element of the abuse. The lawmakers described this pattern as “deeply troubling” and said “the Government cannot continue to ignore the warning signs.”
The statement calling for the special taskforce was issued by Independent TD Carol Nolan, Independent Senator Sharon Keogan and Senator Sarah O’Reilly of Aontú. It follows the recent sentencing in Letterkenny Circuit Court of a man in his 20s to nine years in prison for coercing a woman to ingest abortion pills against her will, before locking her in a room and threatening violence if she did not comply.
Commenting on the alarming increase in coercive abortion cases, Deputy Carol Nolan said: “Tragically, the recent case in Letterkenny is only one in a growing list. Only weeks earlier, a man was sentenced to 8 years in prison at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court for a brutal campaign of abuse against his former partner, during which he forced her to have an abortion. In Dublin, another man was jailed for 13 years after repeatedly kicking his pregnant former partner, killing her unborn baby. The Irish Examiner detailed a separate case in which a minor was confined to a room and made to take abortion pills against her will. And in Tallaght, a man was recently denied bail after allegedly attacking his pregnant partner and threatening to ‘drag her to an abortion clinic’. We need to confront the reality of forced abortion and recognise that its impact likely extends far beyond the cases that have received publicity to date. The Government cannot continue to ignore the warning signs. It needs to take urgent action to address the situation and consult widely to find the best way forward.”
Senator Sharon Keogan said: “All the coercive abortion cases that have come to light to date raise wider systemic concerns about whether any thought has been given to investigating the possible links to telemedicine abortion. When women do not have a face-to-face consultation with a doctor prior to getting the abortion pills, there is a higher risk that forced abortions could go undetected. Related to these concerns is the question: how did the men get access to the abortion pills? We know from the recent Letterkenny case that the convicted man sourced them from a pharmacy in Dublin. How did he manage to do so? We need answers to these questions.”
Senator Sarah O’Reilly said: “The Government refuses to scrutinise the current abortion system and as a result they are failing women right across this country. They need to listen to all voices when it comes to legislating for abortion, not just pro-abortion activists who typically receive greater platforming. By not challenging the abortion regime a vacuum is being created where abuse and coercion can flourish. In-person consultations are crucial for doctors to establish if a woman is safe and not being coerced into aborting her child. The Government needs to establish a truly independent taskforce to investigate this issue without delay. We are calling today for the immediate creation of such a body, with a clear mandate and genuine independence.”