03.08.2018 TDs behaving like global cheerleaders for abortion

03.08.2018 TDs behaving like global cheerleaders for abortion

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

Amnesty Ireland mentions in its press release that Sinn Féin has 22 TDs and 6 Senators, implying they were all signatories to the letter as well. Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín who campaigned for a No vote in the referendum on abortion in May clearly wouldn’t have signed the letter but Amnesty’s statement doesn’t point this out or the possibility that other Sinn Féin TDs disapproved. It simply refers to Seán Crowe TD as signing on behalf of the entire Sinn Féin party, bringing the total number of signatories from TDs and Senators to over 60. Carol Nolan TD resigned from Sinn Féin in June after being suspended from the party over her pro-life stance.