19.04.2012 Pro Life Campaign welcomes defeat of abortion Bill

19.04.2012 Pro Life Campaign welcomes defeat of abortion Bill

The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has welcomed the defeat of a Bill which would have legalised abortion up until birth.

19th April 2012

In a statement today, Caroline Simons of the Pro Life Campaign described the abortion Bill which was defeated this morning in Dáil Éireann, and proposed by Socialist Party TD Clare Daly, as “unnecessary and misleading”.  The Bill was defeated by 111 votes to 20.

Ms Simons said: “Today's result vindicates the work done by the highly professional medical staff who provide world class care to Irish mothers.

“The sponsors of this Bill misleadingly tried to suggest that pregnant women in Irish hospitals were not receiving necessary medical treatment. This is demonstrably false.

Caroline Simons speaking to media outside Dáil Éireann yesterday


Wendy Grace and Maria Coleman outside Dáil Éireann yesterday

“As Government ministers pointed out during the debate, Ireland has an exceptional record in respect of maternal healthcare. UN data repeatedly shows that we are world leaders in caring for pregnant women.

“For TDs to be scaremongering about this, instead of celebrating the achievement of our medical profession is shameful and irresponsible.”

Ms Simons added that the Pro Life Campaign was aware that the Government's Expert Group was working to address concerns raised by the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ireland's abortion law.

PLC volunteers standing with women who regret their abortion

She said: “We await the findings of the Expert Group, and we trust that it will take into account all the facts, including the fact that we can abide by the ECHR ruling in the ABC -v- Ireland case, while also protecting the unborn child.

“We also trust that Fine Gael will honour the pre-election commitments it made to protect Ireland's pro-life laws, and the pro-life, pro-woman ethos of our medical profession.”

Ends

At Dáil Éireann before the debate yesterday

Caroline Simons was interviewed for RTÉ News yesterday evening at the Dáil.   You can watch it here

Cora Sherlock was interviewed for TV3 News yesterday. You can watch the segment here

Caroline Simons participated in the Late Debate on RTÉ Radio last night.  You can listen back to the debate here

See coverage of Dr. Ruth Cullen in today's Irish Times here

Our Dáil event was covered in today's Irish Independent.  You can view coverage here

Dr. Ruth Cullen has an opinion piece in Journal.ie  today.  You can read it here

Adele and Lynn at Dáil Éireann

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