Enda, Keep Your Pro-Life Promise

by Dr. Joseph McCarroll
Chairman, Pro Life Campaign

The Unite for Life Vigil outside the Dáil in freezing, windy, rainy midwinter darkness on Tuesday evening had several political messages, messages so strong that the thousands who packed Molesworth Street and Kildare Street outside the Dáil left with hearts warmer than when they’d arrived, and sending a chill through the hearts of watching it from inside the Dáil.

The crowds packed Molesworth St. and flowed out onto Kildare St.

First, it was what it said on the can – a formal collaboration among all the pro-life groups – who at something under a week’s notice organised it. The political message of this is that the Government and the political parties have awakened a sense of urgency among the pro-life majority that has washed away past differences on tactics and brought to birth in their place a strong unity on strategy. 

The pro-life response to abortion plans is going to be more coherent and organised. The politicians pushing for abortion have awakened the sleeping giant of the pro-life community. The big problem that the politicians pushing abortion face just got bigger.

Second, when you consider the short space of time there was to get the word out, and for people who wanted to come to make the practical arrangements so they could come, the fact that the streets were crowded shows the passion, the seriousness of intent, the commitment that drove so many people to make sure they were there. That pro-life political commitment is now trained on each politician who votes to bring in abortion. Pro-life electors have elephantine memories. Politicians considering voting for abortion in the Oireachtas saw that their votes in there are going to cost them votes back home in the own constituency. The vote-cost of support for abortion in Leinster House just went up.

Third, like an icon made radiant by goldleaf, the vigil was rendered radiant by the extraordinary experiences shared by the two young mothers, Cliona and Liz, who spoke about their children. Cliona spoke about John Paul and how his short life had enriched the life of her family – he had anencephaly. And Liz spoke about the how her son John, born with no limbs, had enriched the life of her family. The warmth of these mothers speaking about their children and the love they brought into their lives was the heart of the Vigil. The only shadow was the willingness of some doctors to help them have their babies aborted.

The fourth message was the political message, as clear and sharp as a rapier - Enda Kenny, Keep your pro-life promise. The video shows it -  the banner with the words, “Enda Kenny Keep your pro-life promise”, while the crowd are chanting, “Enda Kenny, Keep your promise”, and the placards read, “Fine Gael, Keep your Promise”. The stuff of which democracy is made is the trust among the people that the politicians will keep the promises on the basis of which the people elected them. Enda Kenny, show us what stuff you are made of, keep your pro-life promise.

Programme For Government and the Pro-Life issue

The week before the General Election, Fine Gael gave a written commitment to the Pro-Life Campaign stating it is “opposed to the legalisation of abortion” and “Fine Gael is opposed to research conducted on human embryos, and favours alternative stem cell research that does not involve human embryos such as adult stem cell and umbilical cord research.”  The Fine Gael statement also gave a commitment that “women in pregnancy will receive whatever treatments are necessary to safeguard their lives, and that the duty of care to preserve the life of the baby will also be upheld.”

Now that they are in coalition with Labour, Fine Gael must be firmly encouraged to hold to their commitments. The Fine Gael commitment to pro-life values reflects the view of the majority as evidenced by the latest Red C poll showing 68% of the Irish public support constitutional protection for the unborn.

The Labour Party, on the other hand, is still relying uncritically on the increasingly outdated X case decision allowing abortion right up to birth, which heard no medical evidence and which has been over taken by the ever-growing balance of medical research showing negative consequences of abortion for women.

The Pro Life Campaign also acknowledges the significance of the written commitment it received from Fianna Fáil. 

Starting over a year ago, the Pro Life Campaign reached out to involve not only its supporters but the wider pro-life community by means of an intensive nationwide billboard, newspaper advertising, online and leafleting campaign urging voters to only vote for candidates and parties willing to give a public commitment to protect life. The campaign also included an email and physical postcard campaign to election candidates and party leaders. The valuable pro-life commitments received from both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are a tribute to the thousands of people whether involved in formal politics or as committed citizens who are prepared to work hard and speak out in defence of life.

The challenge now is to stay focussed to ensure that those in Government who favour legislation allowing abortion and embryo-destructive research don’t succeed. We have a positive message to bring to the decision-making process - our new Government has a golden opportunity now to make Ireland a centre of excellence for ethical stem cell research that does not involve the destruction of human embryos, and to consolidate Ireland's ranking as world-leader in safety for women in pregnancy, by taking on board the studies showing the negative effects of abortion for women, and breaking through the ‘pro-choice’ denial of the harm and heartbreak abortion involves for many women and the injustice of the unborn children's lives taken.