1861: Abortion is made a criminal offence in Ireland.
1983: Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution is amended to protect "the right to life of the unborn".
1992 (February): Justice Costello grants High Court injunction preventing a 14-year-old, pregnant as a result of rape, from travelling to the UK for an abortion.
1992 (November): Two referendums pass which amend Article 40.3.3 to protect the rights to travel and information.
1998: The Government establishes an Inter-departmental Working Group on Abortion.
1999 (September): Green Paper on Abortion published, laying out options for reform.
2000 (November): An All-Party Oireachtas Committee on abortion publishes its report and fails to reach consensus. A subcommittee then makes a recommendation.
2001 (October): Plan for a referendum to allow abortion where woman's life is at risk from pregnancy, but not suicide.
2002 (March): Voters reject the constitutional amendment by 50.42 per cent to 49.58.
2005 (May): Pro-Life Campaign says it intends to lobby for another referendum.
2005 (August): Safe and Legal in Ireland forms to demand legal abortion services in Ireland.