Why it's important to Celebrate the 8th...by Mary O'Toole

The right to life is the most basic of human rights. The 8th amendment assures the equal right to life of mother and baby.  Without the 8^th in our Constitution the right to life of the unborn child no longer exists. We need to openly support the retention of the 8^th amendment in our constitution to make it very clear where we stand. Nodding agreement is not enough. It’s high time we all leave our easy-chairs and take to the streets; high time to shout with one voice for the voiceless that all human life is sacred.

In the interest of the common good, it is very important to be actively pro-life. It is impossible to further the common good if we do not vehemently and courageously defend the right to life, upon which all other rights are predicated. Life is often tough, but it is always precious. Life not only deserves, but also demands, our protection at all its stages. To promote the common good we must promote the culture of life. Too often, abortion is portrayed as the caring response to a crisis pregnancy, thus seeking to confuse our natural human sense of compassion and concern for others. The truth is that such a culture of ‘choice’, taken as a whole, embodies a concept of individual freedom which inevitably ends up backing the ‘choice’ of ‘the strong’ over the weak and defenceless.

Make no mistake about it, those who seek to remove the 8^th know very well how effective it is in protecting the life of the unborn. Whatever the excuses given, they want to remove the 8^th precisely because they want to remove the right to life of the unborn. Just under 1 in 4 pregnancies in the UK end in abortion. The US is no different. The only thing preventing us from these horrific figures in Ireland is the 8th amendment. If we remove this life-saving provision there is no reason to believe that our statistics would be any different. 

The 8^th amendment acknowledges that there are always two lives to take into consideration when it comes to abortion; that of the child as well as that of the mother. This is a very important recognition of the dignity of all human life, and a very genuine expression of care and compassion for the most vulnerable in our society. Real equality must include everyone. Please come out on the 4th of June and join the march to celebrate the 8^th. It is truly well worth celebrating!

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Why I'm Going To Celebrate The 8th...by Sinead Slattery

The 8^th Amendment ensures the equal right to life and importance of all Irish citizens – both the life of the mother and the life of her baby.

I have listened very carefully to the testimonies of Irish women who face a crisis pregnancy and I believe we need to work far harder to find better and more civilised ways to respect and understand their circumstances and concerns in this difficult situation. Despite all of the conversation and debate surrounding the 8^th Amendment, the only government report commissioned to identify the factors which contribute to the incidence of unwanted pregnancies and the issues which resulted in women choosing the option of abortion was in 1995 (Women and Crisis Pregnancy Mahon, Conlon and Dillion).

We need a new report and we need a truly enhanced and sincere pro-women environment where women don’t feel like they have no other choice than the option of abortion. I care about women’s rights very deeply and it is my view that women should not have to decide between having their baby or finishing college; having their baby or choosing their career; having a baby or paying unaffordable childcare costs. 

I find it deeply disturbing that should a women experience regret, distress or physical side effects following this procedure, such as preterm birth in her next pregnancy; she is told that it is her fault. She is told that she either has a severe mental illness, she was coerced into the procedure by someone else or she had a negative attitude to abortion to begin with. No accountability is taken by those who carried out the abortion even if the procedure results in her dying in the back of a taxi. Liberalising abortion does not solve the underlying issue, it merely masks it and in my view, women deserve better than this.

We have shown the world that we are a humane society which stands up for the rights of every individual, especially minority groups. The 8^th Amendment is a proof point of this as it ensures that each human being in any Irish hospital is given equal medical care and goodwill regardless of their health, their ability and their gender.  This is not the case in many countries where children who have been given a diagnosis before they are born of potentially having a life limiting condition, a disability or they are simply identified as being female.  Whether they are allowed to be born is something which will be decided upon at the discretion of another.

We cannot deny the devastating effects that this would have on our society should we repeal the 8^th Amendment and liberalise abortion. We only have to look to other countries to see the devastation that abortion wreaks on human dignity. One in every four human lives are ended in England and Wales before they’ve had a chance to be born. Denmark has set itself a goal to be Down Syndrome free by 2030 and over 160 million baby girls are aborted in countries and cultures where baby boys are revered more highly than baby girls. 

To infer that abortion can be restricted is misleading for many reasons. One example of this is the interpretation of wording e.g. in England and Wales, a cleft palate and club foot are deemed “severe disability” and therefore any baby diagnosed with those conditions can be aborted right up until birth.

I am in favour of choice…but I don’t know any human being that would choose the ending of their own lives, often times very violently, at someone else’s discretion. So if we wouldn’t choose it for ourselves, then why choose it on behalf of the smallest, youngest most vulnerable in our society?

The unborn don’t have a voice, they’re too small. They need yours and they need the protection of the constitution and it is for this reason that I’m going to be there on June 4^th to help celebrate the 8^th Amendment and find out how I can use my talents to help protect this life-saving provision.

Introducing our Guest Speaker at Celebrate the 8th - Heidi Crowter

All those coming along to Celebrate the 8^th on June 4^th have  a real treat in store.  Among the guest speakers is Heidi Crowter who is coming to us from Coventry to share her thoughts on the need to protect and guard the human dignity of every human being.

Heidi is a disability rights activist who hasn’t allowed Down’s Syndrome to dictate how she lives her life.  She first came to public attention when she became the target of internet trolls and was featured on the BBC, Daily Mail and other media outlets as she worked with the authorities to help gain control of this serious and ongoing issue.

She then became involved with the “Don’t Screen Us Out” campaign in England to oppose the introduction of a new screening test of Down’s Syndrome which, if introduced, is expected to result in a profound reduction in the number of children born with Down’s Syndrome.  The campaign, which garnered the support of actors, politicians and other public figures, led to Heidi being invited to make a speech outside Westminster in April 2016.  A video of Heidi’s speech went viral on Facebook as a result. 

We are so lucky to be able to welcome Heidi and  her mum Liz to the Celebrate the 8^th event.  Heidi continues to smash stigmas for people with Down’s Syndrome, living an independent life and working as a hairdresser.  She has a unique and very personal reason for opposing attempts to target vulnerable children in the womb and her testimony at Celebrate the 8^th is sure to be one of the highlights of the day.

Make sure you don’t miss out on this incredible event which will change the fact the abortion debate in Ireland.  Be there on Molesworth Street on Saturday, 4^th June from 3-4pm and find out why we need to retain the life-saving 8^th Amendment which guarantees the equal right to life of every precious human being in our society.

Why I'm Going To Celebrate The 8th...by Yi Wang

I believe Ireland should Celebrate The 8^th for a few reasons, but one of the biggest factors as to why I think unborn babies should receive equal protection under the law is because adoption is why I am here today. 

My grandmother found herself pregnant in her early twenties.  She had no boyfriend, her family was not supportive, and she was urged to terminate the pregnancy.  I am Canadian, and Canada is one of only three countries worldwide with absolutely no laws restricting abortion.  Our abortion laws were set with the intention of allowing abortion in some cases only but in just a few decades the laws had expanded so much that we were left with a country where abortion was allowed at any time, for any reason, and nearly a third of our pregnancies end in abortion. 

My grandmother’s choice to choose life for my mother and give her up for adoption in a crisis pregnancy, especially amidst a culture that so often pushes women to abortion, saved not only my mother’s life, but allowed her to become a doctor and a wonderful mother to myself and my eight siblings. 

If my grandmother had decided to have an abortion, then my mother would never have been born, and I would not be here today.  That’s the reality of abortion and that’s why we need to keep the 8^th Amendment in the Irish Constitution – because it is a provision that saves human lives.

I strongly believe we should stand up for the rights of the unborn because every life matters.  I am in medical school, and my studies in embryology in particular have highlighted for me that the humanity of the unborn is a scientific fact, not a matter of opinion.  Ireland has stood alone as a country that has continued to recognize that and to provide world-class care to both mothers and their unborn children.  I think that is something to celebrate, and so I will be there on June 4^th to Celebrate The 8^th.

"Why I'm Going To Celebrate The 8th"....by Clare Cromie O'Toole

I’m going to Celebrate the 8th to distribute sunflower seeds for "Sunflowers for Life", which is a new initiative set up to encourage pro-life advocates everywhere to grow sunflowers as a public witness of their support for life at every stage of development.

As the push to repeal the 8^th Amendment becomes more and more likely a topic of a future referendum, engaging the people of Ireland in the conversation about protecting life is hugely important.

The goal of the "Sunflowers for Life" campaign is to provide an avenue for demonstrating support for the pro-life cause in a positive, beautiful, non-confrontational way by engaging people in doing something that strikes a chord with the essential idea that nurturing life is worthwhile.

This simple act of planting a seed and nurturing its growth is a peaceful and positive affirmation of life. It answers the call to stand up and be counted as a voice for the voiceless.

"Everything beautiful starts small

Anything worthwhile needs nurturing"

"Sunflowers for Life" aims to build solidarity across the pro-life movement with this joyful personal and public affirmation so that we can begin to recognise each other whether politically active or not.

Look for the bouquet of sunflowers and come by to collect your sunflower seeds!

And check out our new website, www.sunflowersforlife.com

A Time Of Challenge - Pro Life Campaign National Conference 2013

by Cora Sherlock

Energised, focused and organised, the Pro Life Campaign’s 2013 National Conference in the RDS on Saturday, 12th October celebrated the groundswell of public support and momentum generated last year, acknowledged the challenges ahead and announced several new Campaign initiatives. 

Wendy Grace welcoming delegates to the Conference

Many of the 600 attendees were to the fore-front of the Campaign against the Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy Bill, which acted contrary to medical evidence and introduced abortion for the full nine months of pregnancy.  The theme of the 2013 Conference was “A Time Of Challenge, A Time Of Hope”, and it proved to be one that captured the mood of the room perfectly. 

Spontaneous bursts of applause greeted the video montage showing the events of the past year.  Images of the tens of thousands of pro-life campaigners that gathered in Dublin in January, June and July flashed up on the screen, followed by memories of the more somber moments like the all-night vigil held at the Dáil to witness the passing of the Bill.  The vigil was a moving tribute to a protest heard around the world.  In the RDS, the response from the audience was one of continued support and protest to this supremely unjust piece of legislation.

An excellent roster of speakers went on to provide a roadmap for the Pro Life Campaign’s future plans, including national and global initiatives.  Caroline Simons, Legal Consultant to the Pro Life Campaign, was up first, to highlight the movement’s influence in the European Union where the “One of Us” Campaign is among the first European Citizens’ Initiatives.  This write-in campaign has obtained more than 1.5 million signatures, reaching the quota required in 17 EU countries to press for legislative affirmation of the protection of the human embryo. 

Caroline Simons, Legal Consultant to the Pro Life Campaign 

In the Irish context, it is perhaps the new Grassroots Campaign which will bear most fruit and Ms. Simons spent some time explaining how the Campaign intends to work towards reaching all those who are deeply saddened and dismayed at this government’s betrayal of the most basic right of all – the right to life.  She promised that this new campaign will extend through every city, town and village – plus all the roads along the way! – to ensure that the pro-life majority have their voices heard.  Contact info@prolifecampaign.com to find out how you can get involved in this exciting new initiative!

Steven Ertelt, Founder and Editor of LifeNews.com, a US-based pro-life online news source, placed the Irish campaign in an international context.  He urged participants to keep heart.  Despite challenges, the pro-life message is taking root in the US which can act as a model for Irish pro-life campaigners who should not be disillusioned when the pro-life message seems lost.  Steven told the room “A report by Planned Parenthood’s former research arm found that the number of abortions nationwide in the US have fallen to their lowest point in 36 years!  The pro-life laws we are passing in our nation have worked!”  Steven encouraged attendees to keep the pressure on. 

Steven Ertelt of LifeNews.com addresses the Conference

There was an buzz in the air as Caroline Simons stepped up to introduce Deputy Terence Flanagan and Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames to the Conference.  As two of the members of the Oireachtas who lost the Fine Gael Party Whip for their refusal to vote in favour of the legislation, they received a rapturous welcome from the attendees.  After a prolonged standing ovation to thank them, and those other TDs and Senators who stood against the legislation, Ms. Simons assured the Conference that we would continue to be active in coming elections, supporting those representatives who hold true to the pro-life message while holding Fine Gael accountable for their broken promise.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames and Deputy Terence Flanagan thanked by delegates

Several speakers brought their own personal stories of courage, healing and hope highlighting the human side of this campaign. A moving speech from Hilary Ní Lorcáin described the support and care her family and daughter Margaret received in the US from a perinatal hospice; a “hospice in the womb” for babies with life limiting diagnoses.  “The hospice helped us to plan meaningfully for Margaret’s life,” Hilary told the Conference, “to think about how we would like to experience our time with her, to enable us to look ahead with courage, and indeed to prepare for her death.” It was a powerful call to action for the Irish pro-life movement to work towards meaningful palliative care services for families facing life-limiting diagnoses.

Adele Best brought the audience the difficult story of women’s suffering post abortion.  Many women suffer in silence the after-effects of abortion. Women Hurt (www.womenhurt.ie) provides information on counseling and healing services for women enduring loss and depression resulting from abortion. Adele’s courage and life-saving dedication to her counseling work was inspirational.

Hilary and Adele brought a human face to two very different aspects of the pro-life message.  Their courageous words were met with an atmosphere of respect and support from the attendees as they reminded everyone in the room of the importance of the work carried out by the Pro Life Campaign. 

Perhaps it was Steven Ertelt who best summed up the spirit of the Conference in his closing remarks:

“Never give up hope and always  persevere.  Do not rest until this abortion law is overturned.”

From the evidence of this Conference, the members of the new and improved Pro Life Campaign have taken his advice to heart.

New 60-year review of Irish maternal deaths show no suicides because of pregnancy

No evidence that suicide is a treatment for pregnant suicidal women - Government must not mislead women that abortion prevents suicide

A new and groundbreaking study of every maternal death that occurred in Dublin's three maternity hospitals between 1950 and 2011 has found that no woman died by suicide because she was pregnant.

The study, on suicide in pregnancy, examined the Mater's Reports relating to over 1 million pregnant women linked to the three Dublin maternity hospitals.

It shows that in total there were 394 maternal deaths. Of these, 5 died by suicide - one died during pregnancy (at 30 weeks gestation), while four died shortly after giving birth.

Vitally and crucially, the data, obtained from these reports, shows that the five women who died by suicide did NOT do so because of their pregnancy but because of problems external to it such as mental illness.

Importantly in the context of the present debate, the records cover a period that begins almost 20 years before the liberalisation of the British abortion laws in 1967.

This makes it much harder to claim that suicidal pregnant women in the first part of the period under examination were going to Britain for abortions.

The study was carried out by Professor Patricia Casey, of UCD and the Mater Misericoradiae University hospital. She is an internationally recognised researcher and clinical practitioner in the area of suicide and self-harm. 

Prof Casey said: "It demonstrates that suicide in pregnancy is extremely rare and suicide as a result of the pregnancy itself, as distinct from some other social or health problem that preceded the pregnancy or developed during the pregnancy, is unheard of."

"It is thus misleading to suggest that abortion is necessary to prevent suicide in pregnancy, a view that was confirmed by the perinatal psychiatrists at the Heath Committee hearings on abortion in January. They confirmed that they had never seen a case where abortion was the only intervention to treat a pregnant suicidal woman,” Prof Casey said.

She also pointed to the written submission of St. Patrick's Hospital to the Committee, which also stated that there is no evidence supporting the view that abortion is a treatment for any mental health problem or behaviour.

Professor Casey also drew attention to the written submission of Professor Kevin Malone, Professor of Psychiatry at UCD and St. Vincent's Hospital, and a leading international researcher in the field of suicide risk and prediction, who wrote that suicide cannot be predicted with any degree of accuracy that would satisfy a legislative test.

He also expressed concern that legislating for abortion on the grounds of suicide risk “inexplicably legitimizes and normalizes "suicidality" under certain conditions - for women only”. This, he said, would have the unintended consequence of exacerbating the risk of suicide among men.

Professor Casey said that the Government, by its laws, must not ask psychiatry to mislead women in believing that abortion prevents suicide.

“It is imperative that any decision on the resolution of the Government’s issue in relation to the X case must be based on medical research and evidence. The clinical facts and international experience clearly show that legislation, no matter how limited, actually promotes widespread abortion.

“As a doctor with many years of experience of health services in Ireland and the UK, I know that, for any given service, the volume of any treatment provided is most closely correlated with its availability. Once the service is available, it will be used,” she said.

Read a report about the study in today's Irish Independent here

Media coverage of Millward Brown opinion poll launch

Click on any of the links below to see coverage of last week's launch of the Millward Brown opinion poll on abortion.

• The RTÉ Six One News 
• Irish Independent  
• Irish Examiner  
• Irish Times 
• also in the Irish Times, by Arthur Beesley "Group disputes wide backing for abortion" 
• Belfast Telegraph
• Yahoo News
• BreakingNews.ie 
• LifeNews.com
• National Right To Life News
• RTÉ Radio One Drivetime 
• Limerick Leader
• Carlow Nationalist

Sizeable majority support legal protection of unborn, according to new research

Today, the Pro Life Campaign launched a recently commissioned Millward Brown opinion poll, which was carried out on various pro-life issues including current medical practice on the treatment of women in pregnancy.

Áine Ascough, Wendy Grace, Maria Ó hAodha, and Claire Moore at the launch.

Research was carried out between 16-25 January 2013 on a nationally representative sample of 970 people aged 18+ by face-to-face interviews. The findings show a high level of support for current medical practice in Ireland.

Q1. In current medical practice in Ireland, the doctor treats the expectant mother and her baby as two patients and does his/her best to safeguard both in a crisis situation. Do you consider that this practice should be protected and safeguarded by law or not?

Result: 

66% answered YES 

15% NO 

19% gave no opinion 

Of those who expressed an opinion 81% answered YES.          

                            

Q2. Are you in favour of, or opposed to constitutional protection for the unborn that prohibits abortion but allows the continuation of the existing practice of intervention to save a mother's life in accordance with Irish medical ethics?

Result: 

63% answered YES

19% NO 

18% gave no opinion 

Of those who expressed an opinion: 77% answered YES.

What marks these findings out from other research is the way important ethical distinctions are clarified for the benefit of respondents.

A number of polls published recently citing support for abortion used the word “abortion” in the question without defining just what it meant. These questions could only lead to uninformed answers. Polls using lists of emotive circumstances also tend to distort results.

In the Millward Brown polls published today an attempt was made to differentiate between life-saving medical interventions in pregnancy and induced abortion (where the sole aim is to terminate the pregnancy). It is clear from the results that a sizeable majority supports legal protection for the unborn child, while ensuring that women receive all necessary medical treatments when pregnant.

The findings published today challenge the notion that there is broad middle ground support for abortion in Ireland.

Separate from the survey results, but very relevant to the debate on abortion, Caroline Simons (legal adviser to the Pro Life Campaign) made the following remarks at the press launch today: 

 ·         As the latest World Health Organisation report on Trends in Maternal Mortality shows, out of 171 countries, Ireland is consistently in the top five in safety for women in pregnancy over the past 25 years. This is a remarkable statistic showing Ireland to be a world leader in maternal healthcare and safer for women in pregnancy than places like Britain and the US, where abortion is available on demand.

·         Rather than introducing an abortion regime that blurs crucial ethical distinctions, the Government should set about reassuring the public on Ireland's outstanding record of care in protecting women during pregnancy.

·         The European Court of Human Rights judgment in A, B and C v. Ireland does not oblige the Government to introduce abortion legislation. Instead, Guidelines could be drawn up in consultation with the appropriate bodies of expertise within the medical profession based on best medical practice, addressing the requirement of clarity for women in pregnancy.

·         Any legislation based on the X case would mean that for the first time members of the Oireachtas would be sanctioning the taking of innocent human life. Once that principle is conceded, there is no going back. Not only would legislation based on the X case put the right to life of the unborn at risk, it would also potentially put women's lives at risk based on the independent expert evidence presented to the recent Oireachtas hearings. This evidence highlighted the link between induced abortion and adverse mental health consequences for women. If we are genuinely concerned about women's health, the Government simply cannot ignore this peer-reviewed evidence. 

You can see the full results from Millward Brown by following this link. 

Please share this post on facebook and twitter. 

Fianna Fáil leader opposed to abortion being legalised on basis of suicidality

In an interview with TheJournal.ie, Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin has expressed his opposition to abortion being legalised on the grounds of suicidality, as well as opposing widening grounds for cases of rape and poor pre-natal diagnoses.

In July, Mícheál Martin wrote an opinion piece in the Irish Examiner that set out his opposition to legislation based on X. You can see our blog from July by clicking here.

Mícheál Martin, leader of Fianna Fáil

The Cork Deputy is one of an increasing number of politicians, doctors, and commentators who are concerned by the prospect of abortion being legalised on the flawed basis of treating suicidality - a claim that was completely demolished at the recent Oireachtas Health Committee Hearings, when all the consultant psychiatrists that went before it testified that abortion is not a treatment for a pregnant woman who is suicidal.

John Bruton says Government abortion legislation contrary to Constitution

John Bruton - former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader

In today's Irish Times, former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, John Bruton says that Government plans to legalise abortion are contrary to the Constitutional protection of the unborn, and that there can be "no equal right to life if law embraces suicide risk". 

He says that "a provision allowing a suicide threat to be a basis for ending the life of an unborn child" would not be consistent with the wording of the Constitution, which states that the State has a responsibility to "defend and vindicate” the right to life of the unborn child. 

He points out that the 8th amendment in 1983 was "put there with the explicit approval of the people", and that inclusion of a suicide risk as grounds for an abortion was decided, "to the surprise of many", in a court, and was not introduced by the will of the people in a referendum.
[When the question of abortion based on perceived risk of suicide was put to referendum in 1992 and 2002, all pro-life people opposed the proposed amendment the first time and some pro-life groups opposed the proposed amendment the second time.] 

We have human rights because we are human beings, not because other people or a legislature deems us "worthy" of rights. Bruton recalls Judge Hederman's words from the Supreme Court judgement in 1992: “The right of life is guaranteed to every life, born or unborn. One cannot make distinctions between individual phases of the unborn life before birth, or between unborn and born.” Mr. Bruton makes the important point that human rights are not stripped from specific groups of persons based on taste or opinion at a particular point in time. He says "The underlying idea behind putting human rights in the Constitution is to ensure that they cannot be easily reduced".  

Bruton concludes "to introduce a law providing that an expression of a threat of suicide by one person would be sufficient ground for the taking away of the life of another, would not be in accord with the actual words in the Constitution. There would be no “equal” right to life in such a law, and an equal right to life is what the Constitution requires. ...  It would institute a rule of convenience, at the expense of a rule of rights." 


See John Bruton's full article on the Irish Times website by clicking here. 
See related piece by Stephen Collins, Irish Times Political Editor, by clicking here. 

Click here to see the Pro Life Campaign's briefing document, which outlines how guidelines - not legislation - are the way forward. 

Media coverage of Vigil For Life

• Picture of the vigil are on our pinterest profile here.
• See our video of the vigil on youtube: 

• RTÉ (article and two video clips): "Gardaí estimate 25,000 attend 'Vigil For Life' event in Dublin" 
• Irish Times: "Thousands attend Dublin vigil" 
• TheJournal.ie: "Thousands attend pro-life vigil in Dublin" 
• fecktv: "Over 25,000 attend 'Vigil For Life' in Dublin" 
• Irish Examiner: "'Over 25,000' attend Pro-Life rally in Dublin" 

An Taoiseach totally misrepresents Fine Gael's pre-election pro-life commitment

Referring to remarks made by An Taoiseach Mr Enda Kenny on today’s This Week programme on RTÉ, Cora Sherlock of the Pro Life Campaign said the Taoiseach totally misrepresented the Fine Gael Party’s pre-election promise on abortion.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny

In the interview, the Taoiseach described the commitment as no more than “a letter in some cases” sent to people.

“In reality,” Ms Sherlock said “it was a written commitment formally sent to the Pro Life Campaign on the 17th February 2011.   The commitment said that the Fine Gael Party would not introduce legislation for abortion and that both mothers and babies would be protected in pregnancy.”

Meanwhile, the Pro Life Campaign has welcomed the comments of former Taoiseach, John Bruton, on today’s Marian Finucane Show, that abortion in cases of threatened suicide should not be included in any proposals brought forward by the Government. Mr. Bruton pointed out that in the Oireachtas Hearings on Abortion in 2000, the then Government was presented with evidence showing the prediction of suicide was wrong 97% of the time.

Ms Sherlock added, “At last week’s Oireachtas Hearings, the argument for abortion in cases of threatened suicide effectively collapsed. Abortion in such cases, far from helping women, has the potential to put their lives at risk. This is what the peer-reviewed evidence actually shows. The only reason abortion in the case of threatened suicide is being mentioned in the debate is because it is part of the flawed X case ruling. It would be reckless disregard for the lives of women in pregnancy and their babies to introduce a law that lacks an evidence-based foundation.”

Unite For Life pro-life vigil - 19th January 2013 - save the date!

Ireland is on the brink of legalising abortion. The Government says it plans to legislate early in 2013, and abortions will then be carried out in Ireland for the first time. This is a truly chilling prospect. Unborn babies and their mothers need us to speak up for them at this critical time.

That's why we're asking YOU to join with thousands of others at the Unite For Life Vigil on January 19th, at Merrion Square in Dublin.

We all agree that pregnant women should receive all treatments necessary to safeguard their lives. However, those pushing for abortion are dishonestly blurring the distinction between necessary medical treatments and abortion.

Ireland, without abortion, is a world leader in safety for pregnant women. Yet, right now, we are closer to abortion here than ever before.

It is a defining moment for our country. Will YOU stand united to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves?  Can we count on you being there on the day? Your presence is vital. The situation could not be more grave.  

Transport to the vigil is being organised locally. For further information, please visit the Vigil for Life facebook page, the Vigil for Life website, contact Denise by telephone on 087 266 8702 or by email denise@prolifecampaign.ie

Posters will be provided on the day.   We look forward to seeing you there!

Government's proposal on abortion won't be and can't be restrictive - we will vigorously oppose it

Responding to the Government’s decision today to introduce abortion legislation based on the X case ruling, Cora Sherlock, spokesperson for the Pro Life Campaign, said:

“The Government was always going to present any proposals to introduce abortion as “very restrictive”. But the reality is they simply won’t be and can’t be. The X case decision heard no medical evidence and contains no duty of care towards the baby so any such legislation proposed by the Government would for the first time introduce an abortion regime into this country in which the life of the baby could be directly and intentionally targeted for destruction. This is a chilling prospect – once the principle of protecting human life is conceded, it leads inevitably to wide-ranging abortion.

Everyone agrees women in pregnancy should receive whatever treatments are necessary to safeguard their lives, and as our world-class record in maternal safety shows, women already receive such outstanding care."
 

Pro Life Campaign supporters Áine and Stephanie at Dáil Éireann today

"The Pro Life Campaign will vigorously oppose the Government’s decision to introduce an abortion regime based on the X case ruling. While treating politicians with respect, we will mount a robust and sustained challenge to each and every element of the proposed legislation."

Legislation for X case would not be “restrictive” as members of the Government claim

The Government is expected to approve tomorrow its proposal to bring forward legislation for the X case judgment. It has been reported in recent days that the legislation to allow for abortion will be very restrictive and tightly controlled.

Commenting on the likely decision by the Cabinet tomorrow, Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro Life Campaign said:


“Claims that legislation for the X case is a compromise between pro-choice and pro-life sides is nothing more than a political ploy to make any legislation appear restrictive. The reality is, however, that any legislation for the X case would blur the distinction between life saving medical interventions in pregnancy and induced abortion, the sole aim of which is to intentionally end the life of the baby.

Once it is conceded that some human lives may be directly targeted there is no going back. Inevitably over time the grounds for abortion would be widened. Pro-choice advocates get this point. Sadly some senior members of Fine Gael don’t appear to.

Abortion advocates are correct in viewing legislation for the X case as a first step in achieving abortion on demand. They understand that once the principle of defending human life is conceded, the State forfeits any moral or ethical authority to put limits on the grounds for abortion in the future. In the coming weeks, the Pro Life Campaign will ensure that the public is made fully aware of what legislation for the X case would actually entail.”

PLC responds to Council of Europe Committee of Ministers calls for Ireland to ‘expedite’ abortion legislation

Today the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers issued a statement calling on Ireland  to ‘expedite’ bringing in abortion legislation. 

Responding to the Council's statement, Caroline Simons (Legal Advisor to the Pro Life Campaign) said:
"The Council of Europe statement suggests a lack of understanding by the Committee of Ministers as to the legal significance of the European Court ruling in ABC v Ireland. The decision does not oblige Ireland to introduce abortion.  It calls on us to clarify our position which is an entirely different matter. It is misleading for any person or group to suggest that abortion legislation is required."

"Despite the impression created in recent times, Ireland has an outstanding record in protecting women in pregnancy and is safer than most, if not all of the countries calling on us to introduce abortion." 


Coverage of the Council's statement:

in TheJournal.ie

in The Irish Times 

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.

Ireland is safe, despite the propaganda

David Quinn, in the Irish Independent. On the Independent's site here. 

IN the debate about abortion we are constantly dealing with what can only be described as 'asymmetrical hysteria', that is we are only ever outraged by anti-abortion laws and their consequences and never by the consequences of pro-abortion laws.

The result of this 'asymmetrical hysteria' is that public opinion is constantly being pushed to favour more liberal abortion laws rather than more restrictive ones.

Indeed, we are conditioned to believe that laws against abortion are the result of irrational dogmas that are placing women's lives at risk.

Thus we now think that if only we were more like our more 'rational' next-door neighbour, Britain, Savita Halappanavar would be alive today.

In fact, it is impossible to know that, and certainly not before the completion of the investigation into her death.

In the meantime, what we do know is that the Irish maternal death rate is one of the very lowest in the world at roughly three women per 100,000. The British figure is four times higher at 12 per 100,000 and the US figure is eight times higher at 24 per 100,000.

How is it that Ireland without abortion is so much safer for pregnant women than Britain and America, which both have highly liberal abortion laws?

The above data has been obtained from 'Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2008', which has been developed by the World Health Organisation, the UN and the World Bank.

However, thanks to the highly tendentious coverage of the tragic case of Mrs Halappanavar, particularly by RTE, most Irish people probably believe that Ireland is a particularly dangerous place for women to have a baby.

This notion, now commonplace and gaining worldwide traction, is actually a gross calumny against our country.

Our politicians ought to defend the medical record of this country and point out that our maternal healthcare system is superb at bringing babies to full term without compromising the lives or health of their mothers.

We would also do well to point out how the dogmas behind the abortion laws of other countries cost lives.

For example, in Britain, how many babies are unnecessarily aborted because a doctor erroneously imagines that the only way to save the mother is to abort the baby?

What kind of dogma makes some of us think that 190,000 abortions in England and Wales each year is 'normal', meaning that one pregnancy in every four ends in a termination?

What dogma leads abortion clinics to think 'gendercide' is okay, namely the killing of an unborn child simply because it is the 'wrong' sex, usually a girl?

The 'Daily Telegraph' discovered in a sting operation earlier this year that sex-selective abortions take place in UK abortion clinics.

What kind of dogma thinks it is okay to abort a child simply because the child has Down's Syndrome or cystic fibrosis?

In Ireland, a service is now on offer which allows couples to have their embryos screened to ensure they are in no way 'defective'. This is eugenics and it is common practice today.

None of the scandals just listed ever causes anything like the outrage generated by the hard cases an anti-abortion law will cause from time to time.

There are two reasons for this. The first is that they do not attract anything like the same publicity and so most of us are completely unaware of them.

The second reason is a dogmatic attachment to the ideology of 'choice', which causes many of us to simply turn a blind eye to the innumerable scandals caused by abortion laws.

We must not allow ourselves to be conditioned by ceaseless one-sided propaganda into thinking our law on abortion is inhumane and unjust.

The truth is that our law with respect both to mother and child is far more humane than in other Western countries, including Britain, and we should be very proud of that.