The Pro Life Campaign has said some TDs appear to be “obsessed” with abortion of late and “are behaving like global cheerleaders for legalised abortion.”
The PLC was commenting on news that over sixty TDs and Senators have signed a letter calling on Argentina’s senate to legalise wide-ranging abortion. A fortnight ago, a similar number of TDs and Senators signed a letter pressuring British Prime Minister Theresa May over Northern Ireland’s pro-life laws. On August 8th, the Argentinian senate will vote on whether a bill legalising abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy becomes law.
Commenting on the decision of over sixty members of the Oireachtas to try and influence the Argentinian vote, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign said: “Some TDs of late appear obsessed with abortion. It looks like they’re not doing much else but campaigning on the issue. More and more, they are behaving like global cheerleaders for abortion.
She continued: “In their letter to Argentinian senators, the Oireachtas members present themselves as experts on the issue given their involvement in campaigning for changes to abortion laws in Ireland. The truth is they presided over a process in this country that shut out the heart-breaking testimonies of women who regret their abortions. It was a process that also ignored Ireland’s record as a world leader in safety for pregnant women without recourse to abortion.
“All of the signatories to the letter declare abortion as a ‘human right’ but not one of them has ever stated where they believe human rights or the right to life begin. These same members of the Oireachtas are uncomfortable with abortion being described as ‘killing’. But that’s precisely what abortion involves. It ends the life of a new and unique human life with the same potential and value as every member of the Oireachtas or Argentinian senate.
“Before the referendum in Ireland, most TDs on the ‘Yes’ side campaigned as though they only favoured restrictive abortion. Now voters can see what these elected representatives really supported all along, namely an international right to unrestricted abortion where the rights of unborn babies are set at zero. We will ensure the electorate is fully reminded of this at the next election.”
Signatories of the letter to the Argentinian senate include: Brendan Howlin, Catherine Noone, Niall Collins, Noel Rock, Ivana Bacik and Joan Burton. For full list of signatories, see below.
ENDS
Signatories of letter to Argentinian senate urging them to legalise abortion on demand
Alan Kelly TD, Labour
Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour
Brendan Howlin TD, Leader of the Irish Labour Party
Brendan Ryan TD, Labour
Bríd Smith TD, People Before Profit
Senator Catherine Ardagh, Fianna Fáil
Deputy Catherine Murphy, Social Democrats
Senator Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Clare Daly TD, Independent
Senator Collette Kelleher, Independent
Senator David Norris, Independent
Senator Frances Black, Independent
Senator Gerald Nash, Labour
Gino Kenny, TD, People Before Profit
Senator Ivana Bacik, Labour
Jan O’Sullivan TD, Labour
Joan Burton TD, Labour
Joan Collins TD, Independent
Senator Kevin Humphreys, Labour
Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee, Fianna Fáil
Senator Lynn Ruane, Independent
Mick Barry TD, Solidarity
Mick Wallace TD, Independent
Niall Collins, TD, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Noel Rock TD, Fine Gael
Paul Murphy TD, Solidarity
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, People Before Profit
Roisin Shortall TD, Social Democrats
Ruth Coppinger TD, Solidarity
Seán Crowe TD, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Sinn Féin party*
Sean Sherlock TD, Labour
Thomas Pringle TD, Independent
Thomas Broughan TD, Independent
Willie Penrose TD, Labour