In response to a parliamentary question submitted by Independent TD Mattie McGrath, the HSE disclosed yesterday that 108 babies were born alive following abortions in the five year period 2019-2023.
These numbers derived both from the latest reply sent to Deputy McGrath and the annual reports published by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, uncover a substantially larger number than had been publicly recognised to date.
The latest disclosures further indicate that 2023, the most recent year with available data, recorded the highest number of babies surviving abortion since the new law came into force. 29 babies survived the procedure over the course of that single year.
The figures infer that 4 babies from 2019-2023 at over 24 weeks and/or 500g birthweight, survived the abortion with no indication of any congenital anomaly – suggesting that these could have been healthy babies. They were certainly at a gestation where survival with reasonable long-term health is possible.
Irrespective of the health condition of the 108 babies, none deserved to die in the horrifying way they did – first through abortion and then, after surviving, through the absence of medical care to sustain their lives.
It is truly shocking that in Ireland today babies are being treated in this barbaric and inhumane manner with life and death decisions being made behind closed doors by abortion facilitating medics who appear to feel no obligation to justify their decisions or the value judgments they make about the lives of babies they should be striving to preserve. The situation cannot continue to go on unchecked; we must keep highlighting what’s happening and demand proper scrutiny, accountability, and oversight.
In 2018, shortly after the abortion referendum, then Health Minister Simon Harris accused TDs in the Dáil of using “shock tactics” when they raised concerns about babies being born alive after abortion and the care they might be denied. It is now clear that those concerns were rooted in reality and should not have been brushed aside.
We are deeply grateful to the Deputy for tabling this recent parliamentary question, as well as to other Oireachtas Members who raise similar queries. Their efforts are helping to secure, step by step, the transparency and accountability many seek.
A sincere debt of thanks is owed to the Deputy McGrath for submitting this latest parliamentary question and to fellow Oireachtas Members who do likewise. Through their persistence, the answers and accountability sought by the public is gradually emerging.
It is a shocking state of affairs that babies born alive after abortion are not sustained and given the necessary medical treatment. How are babies been aborted at 24 weeks. This is not what we were told at the time of the referendum in 2018.
This is like a horror story and is totally unacceptable. Just imagine the childless couples who would have been delighted to adopt one of these children and raise them as their own. I doubt this story will appear on any national media and I wonder why? I wonder if the mothers were informed that their babies had survived the procedure?None of this is moral and it must be illegal to allow these children to die.
Truly shocking and appalling that our nation is failing its most vulnerable children who are being born alive following abortion. Every life is precious and deserves the full protection of our laws.
Absolutely barbaric. Well done Mattie McGrath for exposing it
Does the report also state the ‘special circumstances’ under the law, where a foetus was aborted after twelve weeks gestation.? We need answers as to why 108 abortions carried out beyond the 12 week period, in the first place?
Abortion is murder there is no sanitising it.
Abortion is murder there is no sanitising it.
Absolutely shocking. This is even worse then abortion. This goes beyond abortion. Are these babies who survive abortion left to starve to death and do they still not receive even palliative care /painkillers etc? It’s Satanic it’s so Evil.
Thanks to Mattie McGrath and others for bringing up this issue in the Dail. This is even worse then abortion.
Thanks to Mattie McGrath for bringing up this in the Dail. As he has particulars of this practice I now ask him to report it to the Gardai. Unlawful killing of another human being is murder.
Our Government needs to be called to account over this.
It wouldn’t be done to an animal. Truly disgraceful. Thanks to Mattie McGrath and other prolife politicians for their good work.
This is murder. There can be no other name for it. How can it possibly be allowed? How much more barbaric can humans become and whatever happened to humanity? This must be shared and shared again until everyone knows that there are child murderers on the loose.
God bless Mattie McGrath for his courage to push against the tide. The truth of this barbaric practice needs to be highlighted across all platforms.