The Pro Life Campaign has expressed disappointment at the outcome of tonight’s Dáil vote on the three-day waiting period before an abortion. The Sinn Féin bill to abolish the reflection period passed second stage by 86 votes to 70 votes.
Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy said:
“We’re very disappointed by tonight’s result. The role played by Micheál Martin and Simon Harris in the outcome cannot be overstated. They have nothing to be proud of in the way they behaved. Neither man even attempted to make the case publicly for backing the bill. Instead, they reached an agreement with Sinn Féin behind closed doors and announced it at the eleventh hour before the vote.
“That is no way for the leaders of the country to conduct themselves, particularly on a life-and-death issue and regarding a provision they promised voters would be put in place and maintained if they voted ‘Yes’ to abortion in 2018. Today, both men turned their backs on the cast-iron guarantees they gave the public, amounting to a massive breach of trust that will certainly not be lost on voters.
“It is unconscionable that so many members of the Oireachtas voted to remove a provision when it has been shown that thousands of women attended an initial abortion appointment but did not proceed after the three-day waiting period. The issue now goes to committee, and no doubt the choreography will begin retrospectively to build the case for why the waiting period needed to be abolished. For such senior members of Government to be party to this charade is shameful. They pretend to listen, but in reality they engage only with voices they already agree with. Call it what you like, but it isn’t democracy.
“Having said all that, and I really mean it, the pro-life side has every reason to be hopeful about the future. The response to this bill has made it abundantly clear that there are very many people who are committed to making this country a better, safer and more welcoming place for pregnant women and their babies, and that work will continue this week and for as long as it takes. Those in power who pretend to engage with all sides, but who do not, are losing more and more public support by the day. Even though we lost this evening, some of the best people you could ever meet represent us in the Oireachtas, and the good news is that their numbers are growing with each passing election.
“And with regard to the three-day waiting period, the fight is far from over. Tonight’s vote only takes the bill to committee stage. It will take a mammoth effort to protect it, but we are ready to face that challenge head on.”