Government accused of trying to blindfold survivors of symphysiotomy by setting up an opaque and closed-ended process. Survivors of Symphysiotomy are dismayed at the Government’s failure to engage with their demands, following their meeting with Minister James Reilly this afternoon.…
SOS statement on the appointment of Judge Yvonne Murphy
SOS are dismayed with the terms of reference set out for Judge Yvonne Murphy who has been appointed by Government to produce a report for Government on a potential redress scheme. ‘We have no criticism whatsoever to make of the…
Press release : James Reilly calls eleventh hour meeting with survivors of symphysiotomy
Survivors of the destructive operation of symphysiotomy are due to to meet Minister James Reilly this lunchtime. ‘Survivors of Symphysiotomy were given 18 hours’ notice of this meeting with the Minister’, said Marie O’Connor, Chairperson of Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SoS).…
Survivors won’t enter into any Magdalene type redress scheme
Survivors will not enter Magdalene type redress scheme Following a meeting between members of Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SoS) and Minister for Health James Reilly, SoS Chairperson Marie O’Connor has said that survivors will not engage with any so-called redress scheme…
SoS to meet Health Minister to discuss symphysiotomy
The national membership group for survivors of symphysiotomy has finally been invited to Hawkins House. Survivors of Symphysiotomy, the group founded in 2002, has been invited to meet the Minister for Health tomorrow at 11.00 at the Department of Health.…
Video: Clare Daly calls for action toward justice for survivors of symphysiotomy
Dublin North TD Clare Daly today called upon the government to take immediate steps toward justice for the survivors of symphysiotomy in Ireland. Speaking during leader’s questions the United Left Alliance TD spoke at length about the unique needs of…
Press release: Survivors of Symphysiotomy make an offer to Government for just and fair restitution
Tues 9th July 2013 Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SoS) have decried ‘the underhand approach’ adopted by the Department of Health in relation to dealing with victims of illegal surgery, and have called upon the Government to enter talks on ‘a fair…
SOS Ireland hold demo at Dáil Éireann
Survivors of Symphysiotomy recently held a colourful demonstration at Dáil Éireann in protest at the delays to their proposed change to the law on limitations in Ireland. The law aims to open up access to justice for a period of…
Symphysiotomy campaign : High resolution images
High resolution images of a recent SOS demonstration may be obtained using the following links. No photocredit is required. For web and low resolution images please click here Image 1 Image of demonstration 25/06/2013 Image 2 SOS demonstration 25/06/2013 Image…
Press release: SOS Ireland protest the stalling of Bill before the Justice Comittee
SoS Bill stalled before Justice Committee 25th June 2013: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SoS) are holding a public demonstration this morning at 11.00 outside the Dail to protest against the delay in dealing with its Bill setting side…
Symphysiotomy and human rights
This article first appeared in Human Rights Ireland and is by the Chairperson of SOS, Marie O’Connor. The Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill 2013 for survivors of symphysiotomy is now before the Select Committee on Justice of the Irish Parliament. Its passage…
SOS Ireland: Clare People feature
Ellen was special. When she went into labor on the morning of September 27, 1965, she became the first woman in her family to have her baby in a hospital. She was safe, surrounded by doctors and nurses who knew…
SoS Ireland gives a guarded welcome to Government support of their Bill.
Survivors of Symphysiotomy have given a guarded welcome to the announcement that the Government would not oppose the Second State of their Bill setting aside the statute bar for survivors, but have called for its speedy enactment. SoS has welcomed…
The Walsh Report Ireland
The Walsh terms of reference were defective. Crucially, they excluded survivor testimony, which would have nullified the report’s most fundamental findings, that symphysiotomy was done mainly as an emergency procedure and that it was ‘safer’ than Caesarean section. Hospital reports…
Irish Times Opinion covering the Walsh Report and lifting the statute bar in Ireland
OPINION:A lobby group wants the statute of limitations to be temporarily lifted for survivors of what were covert, unnecessary and injurious operations. Mon, Sep 17, 2012 A YOUNG, healthy woman expecting her second child, and a repeat Caesarean section, was…
RTE news: SOS Campaigners renew call for independent enquiry
Campaigners seeking an independent inquiry into certain childbirth practices stepped up their battle today with the publication of a report into symphysiotomy and pubiotomy between 1944 and 1992. These procedures involved the severing of one of the pelvic joints or…
Video: Germaine Greer discusses maternity rights at the launch of Bodily Harm
Bodily Harm launched by Germaine Greer from Paula Geraghty on Vimeo. In this video Germaine Greer discusses the politics of womens health and maternity rights from a historical perspective at the launch of Bodily Harm, a report by SOS Ireland…
Press release: Symphysiotomy survivors express concerns at the publication of the draft Walsh Report into the practice of Symphysitomy in Ireland
The Walsh Report on symphysiotomy has been given a lukewarm response by survivors of the operation across Ireland. The body representing survivors and their families, Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SoS) have described the report as ‘a damp squib from a slow…
Is the publication of the Walsh Report into symphysiotomy now imminent
Is the publication of the Walsh Report into Symphysiotomy in Ireland imminent? On Tuesday 16th July Kerry South TD Michael Healy-Rae received a written answer from Minister James Reilly to a Parliamentary Question about meetings related to symphysiotomy involving Health…