19th May 2023
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In this Issue...

READ: (#3) Oireachtas Health Committee to discuss Abortion Review Report next week (#3)

REA (#BREAKING) D: (#m4l) Spanish constitutional court embeds abortion in major ruling (#1)

READ (#vid 1) : (#vid 1) Abortion being lowered from 20 weeks to 12 weeks of pregnancy in North Carolina (#vid 1)

SIGN UP NOW: Calling Pro Life Young People: LifeLines Summer Tour 2023 - Book Your Place! (#LBB)

REGISTER: Join Team LoveBoth for the VHI Women's Mini-Marathon 2023 (#mara)

READ: Do you have pro-life material which could be historically relevant? (#history)
Oireachtas Health Committee to discuss Abortion Review Report next week (http://)

According to an Irish Times article from 13^th May, the highly flawed and extreme abortion review report is due to be considered by the Oireachtas joint health committee next week. The same article claims the joint committee will hold a total of just two hearings at the end of May and will likely agree not to make any recommendations to the government, instead referring the report back to the cabinet.

There have already been reports of tensions within the cabinet over the report’s proposals, which would see a reversion of several key promises made by the Yes campaign during the divisive 2018 referendum. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has already acknowledged: "It won't be the case that the Government is going to sign-off on any legislative changes, that's not going to happen."

However, several campaign organisations, who were instrumental in determining the shape of the review in collaboration with the Minister for Health, have demanded legislative change. A National Women’s Council spokesperson even called for the removal of all gestational limits from the abortion law, which would allow horrific 9-month abortions.

It’s crucial that our elected representatives are held to account. A large percentage of Yes voters in 2018 never wanted to see the sort of abortion regime which has emerged, and would not support stripping away the last vestiges of basic protections from the law. The government, and Stephen Donnelly in particular, cannot be allowed to change the abortion law whilst hiding behind the pretence that this report is “independent”.
Spanish constitutional court embeds abortion in major ruling (http://)

Pictured: Headquarters of the Constitutional Court of Spain

Unfortunately the Spanish constitutional court has issued a new ruling after 13 years of silence on the issue of abortion. The ruling has copper-fastened the provision of abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy and found a new right termed “women’s self-determination”. The ruling has regrettably affirmed access to abortion as part of “fundamental rights” and explicitly included the provision of abortion as part of the broad heading of “women’s rights”.

The Spanish court also made alarming interpretations with regards to freedom of conscience, strictly limiting conscientious objection to the individual actively performing the abortion but not to other auxiliary, administrative or instrumental staff.

The majority ruling was supported by seven judges in favour, with four dissenting. Opponents on the court argued the ruling goes far beyond the interpretive function of the court. They criticised the ruling for failing to uphold previous rulings and judgements which affirmed certain rights of the unborn child and for establishing a new bundle of rights under the heading “women’s rights”.
Abortion being lowered from 20 weeks to 12 weeks of pregnancy in North Carolina (http://)
The legislature in the US state of North Carolina has successfully voted to override a veto by its Democrat governor, Roy Cooper, of a measure which would lower abortion from a limit of 20 weeks to 12 weeks of pregnancy in the state. A similar trend was recently seen in Kansas, where the state legislature overrode the governor’s veto to push forward incremental pro-life measures.

The new law in North Carolina is due to come into effect from 1^st July 2023. The Senate voted 30-20 to override the veto, as did the House. Commenting on the successful effort, NC Values Coalition spokesperson Tami Fitzgerald said:

“With this veto override, legislators have rejected Governor Cooper’s extreme, unreasonable position of abortion without restriction up to birth. This pro-woman legislation has $160 million in funding to help pregnant mothers including $75 million for childcare, $59 million for foster care, kinship care and children’s homes, $16 million to reduce infant and maternal mortality, and $3 million to help mothers complete college. We sincerely thank Senator Berger, Speaker Moore, and Republican legislators for standing strong and voting on behalf of the 62% of North Carolinians who reject abortion after 12 weeks…”
Calling Pro Life Young People: LifeLines Summer Tour 2023 - Book Your Place! (http://)
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We are delighted to announce a really exciting and fun upcoming event specifically designed for young people interested in the pro life cause. This programme is tailored towards 18 to 26 year olds who are interested in having a fun week during the summer, meeting other pro life young people and participating in some life affirming outreach activities.

This outreach programme brings young pro-lifers together from across the country for a week starting Monday 24th July and finishing on Sunday 30th July.

The tour will be travelling through a number of towns and villages, hosting meetings, participating in the LoveBoth 5K Your Way to raise money for mothers in need along with meeting local pro-life advocates. There will also be fun entertainment activities provided.

Drivers, Accommodation and food providers needed - Can you help?

We are looking for help with providing accommodation, meals and transport in Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Sligo, and Mayo during the tour. If you are in a position to help with any of these things, please contact us here (mailto:[email protected]) and we will be in touch.
Sign Up Now! ([link removed])
Join Team LoveBoth for the VHI Women's Mini-Marathon 2023 (http://)
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By taking part in the Mini Marathon and fundraising you will be supporting the work of the LoveBoth Project and helping pregnant women, new mothers in need, and their babies.

The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon is taking place in Dublin on Sunday June 4th. You can run, jog or walk the event as part of TEAM LOVEBOTH.

REGISTER and receive your sponsorship pack TODAY or sponsor the team at www.loveboth.ie/vhiwmm
Do you have pro-life material which could be historically relevant? (http://)
We are putting out a call for anyone in possession of any documents, photographs, correspondence, etc. relevant to the Irish pro-life movement throughout the decades. We are particularly keen to receive anything in your possession related to periods such as the 1983 referendum. A comprehensive history of the pro-life movement is yet to be written, but the historians of the future will need primary sources. We are asking for people to get in touch with the Pro Life Campaign (mailto:[email protected]) if they possess such material (no matter how old or dusty!) to ensure it is preserved now and not lost to the ages.
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Vital Signs is the e-newsletter of the Pro Life Campaign. We hope you and your families are keeping well in these unusual times. This email is to update you on what we have been working on recently, including news stories, project updates, and details of upcoming events. If you want to get in touch with us please do so by emailing [email protected]

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