While we can all take pride in the impressive votes of pro-life candidates in the most recent general election, including the election of new pro-life TDs such as Aontú’s Paul Lawless and Independent Ireland’s Ken O’Flynn, we should also take time to recognise the considerable contribution to the pro-life cause by two outstanding TDs who did not contest the most recent elections. Former minister and long-serving Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív (Fianna Fáil) and independent TD for Louth Peter Fitzpatrick both contributed immensely to advancing pro-life issues during their respective political service.

Éamon Ó Cuív

Éamon Ó Cuív has had a high-profile and lengthy political career. As the grandson of Éamon de Valera, politics was written in his DNA! A Gaeilgeoir passionately committed to the Irish language and the economic development of the Gaeltacht, Éamon Ó Cuív was first elected to the Seanad in 1989. His career in the upper house of the Oireachtas was brief, as Éamon was elected to the Dáil for Galway West in 1992 and served as a TD for the constituency without a break until his retirement this year. Extremely popular in Galway West, his seat was seen as one of the “safest” in Ireland. Even in 2011, Fianna Fáil’s worst election since its foundation which saw many prominent government politicians ousted, Éamon Ó Cuív was comfortably returned to the Dáil.

As a politician, Éamon Ó Cuív has displayed a strong independence of mind. His intellect resulted in him becoming a minister during the Ahern and Cowen governments. Widely seen as a prospective leader of Fianna Fáil, unfortunately Éamon never reached this position despite his considerable talents. 

On the pro-life issue, Éamon has been a consistent advocate for the right to life of the unborn child. Whilst figures such as Micheál Martin went on “journeys” and changed his mind to become pro-abortion, Éamon Ó Cuív has not retreated one iota from his sincerely held convictions. He campaigned for a No vote in the 2018 referendum and voted against the abortion legislation when it came before the Dáil.

In his final parliamentary term, Éamon was the only Fianna Fáil TD to co-sponsor the Pain Relief Bill 2021, although many more Fianna Fáil TDs voted for the bill. An impressive speaker in debates, Éamon Ó Cuív brought his significant stature and reputation as a thorough analyst to parliamentary proceedings. As a veteran TD, he was a keen scrutiniser of legislation and policy, and applied his sharp insights to criticising some of the recent pro-abortion proposals such as the Exclusion Zones Bill. During the debates on this government-sponsored legislation, Éamon pinpointed several flaws with the proposal and questioned the necessity of introducing such a bill at all. His questions received little in the way of satisfactory answers or explanations from Minister Donnelly who receded into emotion-laden rhetoric in the face of such incisive criticism. 

Following over three decades in front-line politics, Éamon Ó Cuív decided to retire at the 2024 general election which signalled the end of an era for Galway and national politics. 

It’s indisputable that Éamon Ó Cuív has made a lasting impact through his political career – whether as a government minister, as a champion of the Irish language, as a principled republican, or as a true parliamentarian with a strong independent streak. But one aspect of his multifaceted and high-profile career which is deeply respected by thousands of citizens has been his unwavering support for the pro-life cause. We are deeply thankful to Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív for his support and leadership over many decades and wish him a happy and prosperous retirement. Míle buíochas.

Peter Fitzpatrick TD

As bainisteoir of the Louth Gaelic football team, Peter Fitzpatrick took the county far and brought Louth to their first Leinster final in almost 50 years. In a 2010 match against Meath, Louth lost by a whisker due to an infamous last minute “goal” by Meath’s Joe Sheridan which still raises the hackles of GAA fans in Louth to this day. In 2011, Peter was asked by Fine Gael to stand in the Louth constituency for the general election. Although a newcomer to politics, Peter was more than willing to represent his county in a new capacity and was duly elected as a TD during that year’s seismic election. 

A backbencher during the Fine Gael-Labour government, Peter felt extremely uncomfortable about the government’s 2013 abortion bill. Several of his party colleagues such as Lucinda Creighton and others fell foul of the imposed three-line whip and were expelled. Although Peter reluctantly voted for the bill, the government’s stifling of freedom of conscience on this occasion contributed to his decision to quit Fine Gael in August 2018. As an independent TD, Peter Fitzpatrick was on the health committee and challenged many aspects of the abortion legislation. He was involved in tabling pro-life amendments to the 2018 bill, which were voted down by the government. Peter held the government to account, extracting commitments from Simon Harris that abortion policy would “absolutely” not be done via telemedicine (a promise Harris broke in early 2020). His regret over his vote for the 2013 bill underlined his passionate and public support for the pro-life cause as an independent deputy.

Re-elected as an independent TD in 2020, the first independent TD elected for Louth since 1937, Peter Fitzpatrick was a staunch defender of the pro-life cause in the last Dáil. He sponsored and spoke in favour of the Pain Relief Bill 2021. He submitted countless detailed parliamentary questions to Minister Stephen Donnelly seeking answers about the true nature of the abortion regime. On issues like the Exclusion Zones Bill, Peter voted and spoke against the bill – undermining the bill’s premise using careful logic and reason. He also served as co-chair of the All-Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group (alongside Carol Nolan).

After 13 years in the Dáil, Peter Fitzpatrick decided not to contest the 2024 election. His absence in the new Dáil will be felt, but thankfully there are many new pro-life TDs who will step up to the plate. We wish Peter Fitzpatrick and his family all the best for the future and are very grateful for his support and service to the pro-life movement.