Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002

The Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002 was a proposal to amend the Constitution of Ireland to remove the threat of suicide as a grounds for legal abortion in Ireland, as well as introducing new penalties for anyone performing an abortion. The proposal was rejected.

Proposed changes to the text

 * Insertion of new Article 40.3.4:
 * In particular the life of the unborn in the womb shall be protected in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act 2002.

Overview
In 1983 the Eighth Amendment introduced a constitutional ban on abortion in Ireland. The X Case in 1992 established the right of Irish women to an abortion if a pregnant woman's life was at risk because of pregnancy, including the risk of suicide. Following the X Case, the 1992 November referendum proposed three amendments to the Constitution. The Twelfth Amendment proposed that the possibility of suicide was not a sufficient threat to justify an abortion, this 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.

The Twenty-fifth Amendment was introduced by the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition government of Bertie Ahern. The proposal sought to insert a new article 40.3.4, giving protection to the 'life of the unborn in the womb', the details were to be specified in an Act of the Oireachtas, which was to be called the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Act 2002. This act would have removed the threat of suicide as a grounds for legal abortion and also would have to introduced new penalties of up to 12 years in jail, for those performing or assisting abortions. Along with the government parties, the Catholic Church favoured the proposal, it was opposed by Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party and Sinn Féin.

The proposal was put to a referendum on 6 March, 2002 but was rejected. The Twenty-fifth Amendment, 2001 was narrowly rejected by 629,041 (50.4%) against to 618,485 (49.6%) in favour.