The Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018 (bill no. 29 of 2018) is a proposed amendment to the constitution of Ireland which, if enacted, would remove the constitutional protection for the life of the unborn and allow for the legislation of abortion. It is being proposed by the current government. Article 40.3.3° was inserted in 1983 by the Eighth Amendment and imposes a constitutional bar on abortion, unless the life of the pregnant woman is directly at risk. An amendment to the constitution must pass both Houses of the Oireachtas and be approved by Irish citizens voting in a referendum. The government intends to hold this referendum on 25 May 2018.
Sources and Further Reading:
Government can meet timeline to hold abortion referendum – Donohoe
Policy Paper on Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy
http://health.gov.ie/blog/publications/policy-paper-on-regulation-of-termination-of-pregnancy/
Ireland’s government approves abortion referendum bill