Cork City Council · Ordinary Meeting of Cork City Council · 12 January 2026
A vote on a motion welcoming the Dáil's vote of 17 December 2025 not to restore the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Bill 2023 to the Order Paper. It urges the Government to work towards reducing abortion numbers through better supports for pregnant women.
Summary written by AI from the minutes. The motion as recorded follows.
That Cork City Council welcomes the outcome of the recent Dáil Éireann vote (73- 71 on 17 December 2025) to reject the restoration to the Order Paper of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Bill 2023. This Bill proposed significant changes to Ireland's abortion laws, including: abortion on request up to fetal viability (typically around 22-24 weeks); abolition of the three- day waiting period; broader grounds for later-term abortions (such as fatal fetal abnormalities likely to lead to death before birth or within one year, or serious risk to the woman's health); and decriminalization of abortion services. This Motion calls on Cork City Council to write to An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, expressing concern about the rising number of abortions in Ireland (approximately 49,000 recorded from 2019 to the end of 2024, with numbers increasing annually to a record 10,852 in 2024) and urging the Government to work towards reducing abortion numbers by providing better supports for pregnant women, including financial assistance, housing, and other practical measures, while also actively promoting a positive cultural shift that affirms the clear message that every baby is a cherished and very welcome addition to our country.
Proposed by C. Kelleher; seconded by J. Maher.
The minutes record: As those voting for the motion were less than those voting against, An tArdmhéara declared the vote and the motion defeated.
| Party | Tá | Níl | Staon | Didn't vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Fine Gael | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Sinn Féin | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Green Party | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Labour Party | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| People Before Profit-Solidarity | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Social Democrats | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Tá, Níl and Staon are the minutes’ for, against and abstained. “Didn’t vote” covers councillors on the council that day whom the minutes don’t list under any option, for any reason. Parties are as of the meeting day.