Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1992

The Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1992 was a proposal to amend the Constitution of Ireland that the possibility of suicide was not a sufficient reason to legally allow an abortion. The proposal was rejected.

Proposed changes to the text

 * Proposed insertion of additional text to Article 40, section 3, subsection 3°:
 * It shall be unlawful to terminate the life of an unborn unless such termination is necessary to save the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother where there is an illness or disorder of the mother giving rise to a real and substantial risk to her life, not being a risk of self-destruction.


 * The rejection of the Twelfth Amendment, together with approval of the Thirteenth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment made the full text of the constitution in regard to abortion (40.3.3°) the following:


 * The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.


 * This subsection shall not limit freedom to travel between the State and another state.


 * This subsection shall not limit freedom to obtain or make available, in the State, subject to such conditions as may be laid down by law, information relating to services lawfully available in another state.

Overview
The referendum in November 1992 was largely in response to Attorney General v. X - a case that arose where a 14-year-old girl who had become pregnant from rape was threatened with legal action for travelling to the United Kingdom to obtain an abortion.

It proposed that the possibility of suicide was not a sufficient threat to justify an abortion. The proposal was put to a referendum on 25 November, 1992 but was rejected.

In the same referendum, the Thirteenth Amendment was approved guaranteeing freedom of travel with respect to the issue. Also in the same referendum, the Fourteenth Amendment was approved guaranteeing freedom of speech with respect to the issue.