Plans are underway to have a new abortion law written for Ireland by Valentine’s Day 2018. New legislation being considered could see the repeal of Ireland’s current pro-life laws. Pro-life medical expert, Prof. Patricia Casey, has noted bias in proceedings. She comments that the Committee overseeing the law’s revision “has been so arranged as to reach a pre-set decision without balanced consideration of any evidence that runs contrary to this pre-determined outcome.”
Simon Harris, Ireland’s Health Minister is leading plans to have a new abortion law written for Ireland by Valentine’s Day 2018. New legislation being considered could see abortion allowed through the first twelve weeks of a pregnancy as well as in cases of rape. Harris, in favour of liberalising Ireland’s abortion law, has requested the new law be prepared by 14 February so that it can be scrutinised before a public referendum next Summer.
Ireland’s Eighth Amendment
Ireland’ current constitution values life, protecting women and preborn children from the devastating consequences of abortion. A part of Ireland’s Constitution Act, 1983, the Eighth Amendment was approved by referendum on 7 September of that year followed by its signing into law on 7 October. The Eighth Amendment recognises the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn child. As a constitutional amendment, the Eighth Amendment cannot be fully repealed, and no government can introduce pro-abortion legislation apart from exceptional circumstances.
The Eighth amendment asserts
“The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right”
Strong leadership needed
Leo Varadkar Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Minister for Defence, and leader of the Fine Gael party has indicated that a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment will be held next summer. Varadkar himself seems undecided on his own abortion views. Pro-abortion Teachta Dála (TD), Ruth Coppinger, a member of the far left ‘Solidarity’ party has criticised Varadkar as having ‘more positions in abortion than coloured socks’.
A Committee on the Eighth Amendment has been convened in the Oireachtas (Ireland’s National Parliament) and has already voted against retaining the current pro-life legislation in present form. This has indicated a pro-abortion bias and liberalising agenda that has led to some advocacy groups and medical experts dropping out of addressing the committee as a result.
Prof. Patricia Casey, a pro-life Psychiatric expert, is one such professional originally scheduled to address the Committee on 25 October. Prof. Casey cancelled her appearance writing in a letter:
“it has become increasingly clear that the process of the Committee has been so arranged as to reach a pre-set decision without balanced consideration of any evidence that runs contrary to this pre-determined outcome.”
A Civil Rights issue
The United Nations, Amnesty International, and other pro-abortion entities see Ireland’s current law as inhumane and are actively pressuring the possible law change. In calling for abortion to be legalised, such entities are in fact perpetrating and promoting an act that is fundamentally inhumane.
The abortion debate in Ireland truly is a civil rights issue. Constitutionally, Ireland has recognised the pre-born child’s right to life and has nobly stood by its defence and vindication of that right when so many other nations have failed. Simon Harris and the Committee of the Eighth Amendment desire to see the constitution revised and the right to life of the pre-born child repealed. They do this under the banner of women’s rights and feminism, completely overlooking the fundamental reality of the pre-born child’s humanity and personhood.
From conception a process of development and progression in life begins. Such progression and development continues throughout life and only ceases at the point of death, whatever the cause. Abortion has terminated the progression and development of life for almost 9 million babies in the UK since the Abortion Act (1967). Should Ireland choose to repeal its Eighth Amendment, it will join Great Britain in denying the pre-born baby’s right to life and will erase the moral principle of the pre-born child’s humanity and personhood from its legislation. In so doing, Ireland, could soon become a very unsafe place for the pre-born baby indeed.
Read a front-line report from an Irish pro-life campaigner.