A midwife who assists in carrying out abortions under Ireland’s abortion regime has said that “morally and ethically the hardest thing definitely is seeing the little foetus, you know, at the end of it all … they are formed so well, like even little fingernails and, you know, it’s just unbelievable really the formation even just at, you know, coming up to that twelve-week mark.”
She offered this observation as well: “A lot of the time, they just have their little hands underneath their chin, or their hands could be across their chest … On a personal level, you just have to try and forget about it as quick as you can, but there’s certain cases that you don’t forget about, you know, as much as others and especially the babies that are, you know, all older babies and babies that are, you know, practically formed in every way, you know, so that can be very very difficult.”
The midwife quoted above is one of thirteen abortion providers interviewed recently about their experiences performing terminations, for research undertaken by academics in UCD’s schools of nursing and perinatal health. The interviews featured six GPs, three midwives, two obstetricians and two nurses.
One of the nurses interviewed said: “In theatre during a termination … you kind of have to take yourself out of the room a little bit in your head cause I think if I thought about it too much, I would have gotten upset, just the physical thought of what’s actually happening.”
It's sad the lengths abortion advocates go to, to withhold information about the developmental stages of the unborn child from women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Yet, it's something abortion providers openly talk about and grapple with among themselves.
A majority of those interviewed referred to moments when they question the morality of what they are doing. None of the interviewees, however, expressed a desire to cease carrying out abortions.
Another of the midwives interviewed said she was content to be involved in abortions but remarked: “It’s funny, my own personal belief on termination is that I wouldn’t have one, I don’t really agree with it.”
The interviews are replete with muddled and contradictory remarks like the ones above. Remember, these are the healthcare workers at the forefront of abortion provision. While they may seek refuge in terms like “abortion care”, they’re unable to escape the reality of what they're involved in. That’s the obvious and standout conclusion one reaches after reading the interviews and findings of the research, which is published in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters journal.
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, repeatedly refers to abortion as “healthcare” as he seeks to force more healthcare workers to participate in abortions. Instead of continually pushing that particular falsehood, he should look at what's actually happening under the abortion law he celebrates. He could start by reading the traumatic testimonies of those tasked with looking after the remains of unborn babies after an abortion - testimonies that can be found in the UCD study.
Thanks to all those who attended our Workshops on Monday and Tuesday of this week. We were very encouraged with the number of people who are actively engaged and interested in meeting their politicians with their concerns around the extreme recommendations contained in the recent Abortion Review Report and the recent Second Reading vote in favour of the People Before Profit Private Members Bill calling for more abortion.
Summer 2023 is a really important time for us to engage with our politicians and remind them that the referendum promises of ‘rare’ abortions must not be forgotten.
Please take a moment to get involved in this Humanity Campaign over the coming weeks by opting to join our workshop on 5th July. You can register instantly below.
Remember even the smallest effort will make a big difference.
Thank you!
On Tuesday, the cabinet agreed to proceed with exclusion zone legislation, which would create 100 metre ‘buffer zones’ around premises which are or could be providing abortions. This would mean every GP clinic, ‘family planning’ centre, and hospital in the country.
In reply to a parliamentary question submitted by Michael Collins TD, the Minister for Health confirmed that his department met with the Attorney General on five separate occasions since October 2022 to seek advice on the proposals, indicating the serious concerns that exist in government about the constitutionality of the bill. Even Minister Donnelly himself said in February 2022: “We are pushing up against civil liberties when we do this.”
The heads of bill which have been published present a deeply draconian piece of legislation. The sheer volume of designated premises would see zones spring up all over Dublin (and around the country), which would leave many people to unwittingly be subject to their penalisation of pro-life speech. For instance, there is no reason to suggest the law would not criminalise a private conversation between a mother and daughter – in which the mother advised the daughter not to have an abortion – which happened to take place in the vicinity of an exclusion zone, such as a coffee shop near a GP’s office or even in their own home.
Moreover, the creation of countless potential exclusion zones would potentially frustrate large-scale public pro-life events like the March for Life or the upcoming Rally for Life (taking place tomorrow) which may pass through public streets which also happened to contain a GP clinic or ‘family planning’ centre. The impact of this law could proscribe such annual events simply because they promote a pro-life message.
The above suggested consequences have not been seriously addressed in the media or the Dáil. The idea of discriminatory exclusion zones are a generic import from abroad, primarily in countries which have specifically-designated abortion clinics such as England or Germany. Implementing such a copy-and-paste policy in Ireland means exclusion zones being dotted across large swathes of public areas due to the high volume of designated premises.
Pro-exclusion zones activists have not answered any scrutiny about the impact of such measures in Ireland, but instead have leaned on slanderous claims levelled against pro-lifers without challenge by the media. Even the Gardaí, during their appearance before the Health Committee to provide ‘expert’ evidence, erroneously assumed most abortions are happening in hospitals and their presentation focused on issues like clear signage around hospitals. It was only when challenged by Róisín Shortall that their unawareness of that reality that most abortions happen in GP clinics became obvious.
Of course, like elsewhere, exclusion zones impact on people’s legitimate right to express their opposition to abortion wherever they please so long as they are not in breach of existing public order laws. This was why the Garda Commissioner, in 2021, wrote to the Minister for Health to advise him such laws were unnecessary. However, Minister Donnelly actively undermined the Garda Commissioner in February 2022 when he stated: “A view has been expressed to me through the avenue of legal opinion, and it is also held by An Garda Síochána, that additional powers are not required. The current powers are sufficient. It is not a view I agree with and not one that I have accepted... We are legislating. This is happening.”
The driving force behind introducing exclusion zone legislation has been a fringe campaigning group based in Limerick, which has been involved in building a myth that Limerick is the epicentre of protests which underline the need for exclusion zones. In reality, there is a small group of people who pray quietly in front of the hospital there. Their prayers are not solely offered for unborn babies, but also for healthcare workers and the patients in general attending the hospital. The UL Hospitals Group in December 2021 confirmed it hadn’t received any complaints from patients, their partners, or staff and had no record of ‘protests’ against abortion.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that “the terror of Limerick” protests as described by Fianna Fáil Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee did not occur, the Minister for Health is pressing ahead with imposing the draconian new law. Despite the fact that exclusion zones are unworkable due to their massive stretch (in comparison to laws abroad around abortion clinics), the bill is being bludgeoned through. And even though fundamental rights (such as art. 9 of the ECHR and art. 40 of the Irish Constitution) are being violated, the government is still determined to “push up against civil liberties” and introduce this Orwellian law.
(British Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris: Rejected concerns)
A vote was held this week in the British parliament on whether students aged between 11 and 16 should be forced to be taught about abortion. Unfortunately, 378 MPs voted in favour, whilst just 28 opposed the measure. A total of 246 MPs didn’t cast a vote.
The regulations have been condemned by various schools in the north of Ireland as inappropriate overreach which runs roughshod over the rights and duties of parents.
Similar legislation is not enforced in schools in Britain, but the north of Ireland has recently become a testing ground for extreme pro-abortion policy initiatives, as seen in the decision to ‘decriminalise’ abortions in the north of Ireland – something which British campaigners have called for to be applied to Britain.
The Department of Education is now obliged to incorporate abortion as part of the content of its curriculum, to be published by 1st January 2024.
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 and we will be in touch.
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 if they possess such material (no matter how old or dusty!) to ensure it is preserved now and not lost to the ages.
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]
