The Oireachtas Committee on Justice which was considering Gino Kenny's 'Dying With Dignity' Bill has confirmed that they will not be progressing the Bill at this time
This is an extremely positive development as a final vote on the Bill could have taken place as early as this autumn if the Committee had decided to give it the green light.
Instead of proceeding to a final stage vote, the Oireachtas Committee on Justice has recommended that a special committee of the Oireachtas be established to examine the issue.
Even though Gino Kenny’s Bill was approved at Second Stage in the Dáil last October by 81 votes to 71, quite a number of TDs who voted for it at Second Stage, including members of the Justice Committee, subsequently expressed reservations about the Bill and the difficulties associated with introducing a law in this area that wouldn’t pressure people in vulnerable situations to opt for euthanasia.
There’s no doubt that the intervention of high-ranking medics in opposing the Bill and the personal stories of people with terminal illnesses who spoke out against the Bill played a pivotal role in the Committee’s decision to abandon plans to proceed. Over 1,000 members of the public made personal submissions to the committee and over 2,500 doctors signed a petition expressing their opposition to the Bill - including a large number of specialists in end-of-life care.
While supporters of euthanasia will continue to argue that it’s possible to frame a legislative proposal that addresses the concerns of those who favour ‘restrictive’ euthanasia, the experience from other countries irrefutably shows that’s not the case.
As indicated by Gino Kenny’s statement yesterday that he plans to introduce a redrafted Bill, the push for euthanasia in Ireland is far from over.
Nonetheless, those who worked tirelessly and led the fight against assisted suicide/euthanasia over the past year, most notably the group Hope Ireland, should be extremely proud of what they have achieved to date.
Well done to all of those who played a part in achieving this result!
You can read the Press Statement from the Oireachtas Justice Committee here
You can read the Report from the Justice Committee here
Alina Dulgheri and Elizabeth Howard of the group Be Here For Me with volunteers at Dáil Éireann in 2019
The Minister for Health has indicated that there are no plans to introduce censorship zones outside abortion facilities at this time. His latest remarks on the issue were in response to a parliamentary question.
The Minister’s statement represents a definite change from earlier in the year when a Bill entitled "Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill" was on the Legislation Programme.
The legal advice received by Minister Stephen Donnelly and the advice offered by the Garda Commissioner clearly influenced the latest development.
Attempts by senior politicians to unfairly depict pro-life people gathering peacefully outside abortion facilities was in effect contradicted by the Garda Commissioner who said there was no evidence of any incidents that warranted a change in the law.
While the latest statement from Minister Donnelly is very good news, we need to stay vigilant to ensure that freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are protected.
You can read the Parliamentary Question and Answer here
A Day in the Life of RTÉ’s Coverage of Abortion is an illuminating overview of RTÉ’s coverage of the abortion issue on the 3rd anniversary of the referendum (25th May 2021). It’s an example of a typical day when abortion is in the news and how RTÉ treats the issue.
There’s much talk at present about biased coverage but it’s only when things are properly documented that the full scale of the problem becomes apparent. We strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to read this important new document from the Pro Life Campaign.
On a related matter, it’s been over 2 months since the PLC E-card initiative to RTÉ started. Since then literally thousands of people have signed the card calling on RTÉ’s Director General to explain why pro-life supporters should be expected to continue paying the TV licence given RTÉ’s incredibly biased reporting on the pro-life issue.
It is unacceptable but very telling the way RTÉ has refused to respond to those who sent E-cards. If you haven’t already signed the E-card, please do so today and SPREAD THE WORD to family and friends.
The Stormont assembly has been ordered by Boris Johnson’s government to introduce wide-ranging abortion in Northern Ireland before the end of March 2022.
Yesterday, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis directed the Department of Health and others to start making provision for abortion on demand, including abortion up to birth where the unborn baby has a disability. You can read the statement here.
Sinn Féin has welcomed the latest move by the British government, while the DUP has said it “undermined” devolution.
Carla Lockhart, the DUP MP for Upper Bann said the issue was one that local politicians should have been allowed to find agreement on without inference from the Westminster government.
"The government's insistence on interfering on devolved issues undermines the institutions. Indeed, cynically, some local parties know that by failing to engage constructively to find that local agreement, that the government will deliver their objectives by March 2022 at the latest," she said.
"What incentive have they now to give any regard to the pro-life views held by hundreds of thousands of people in Northern Ireland?"
She continued: "What we have in this statement from the Secretary of State is a further example of a government acting with no respect to the local electorate and locally elected politicians. The DUP stand ready to find a locally agreed way forward."
Meanwhile, Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin welcomed the Northern Ireland Secretary's intervention and tweeted: "Finally women here can have access to the modern and compassionate healthcare services they are legally entitled to.”
Ms O’Neill’s description of abortion as “healthcare” flies in the face of all the peer reviewed evidence highlighting the adverse after-effects of abortion on women. Healthcare is about healing, not harming. It is also terribly sad to watch a senior politician like Michelle O’Neill describing something as healthcare that she knows full well ends the lives of small defenceless unborn babies.
Picture of Megan Milakis being cared for as a premature baby in the Franciscan Hospital in Indiana
Dr Rosario Chua and nurse Megan Milakis pictured in the Franciscan Hospital, Lafayette, Indiana
Dr Rosario Chua has worked as a neonatal intensive care specialist at the Franciscan Hospital in Lafayette, Indiana for 30 years.
When Megan Milakis was born prematurely 23 years ago, Dr Chua was the doctor who helped care for her. Today the two work together as a team following the appointment recently of Ms Milakis as a member of the nursing staff in the intensive care unit. Dr Chua is currently director of the unit.
“Obviously there are some patients that you never forget,” Chua told the local TV channel WLFI. “When I heard about Megan starting as a NICU in my unit I met with her and of course we hugged and I thought my goodness, my baby, from 23 years ago is working alongside me,” she said.
Dr Chua says she has a very clear memory of Ms Milakis as a premature newborn as she went into respiratory failure and became very ill.
Now that Ms Milakis is fit and healthy and back in the Franciscan Hospital as a member of staff, she says it gives hope to the families she meets who have premature babies with health difficulties. “When I say that Dr Chua took care of me and I’m a NICU baby myself, [parents] are usually very surprised and happy to see a strong outcome,” she said.
“It completely came full circle,” Ms Milakis said. “She was here when I first started out and when I was starting my nursing career for her to be a part of it and now is really cool and special.”
What a wonderfully life-affirming story!
Watch a local news report on Dr Chua and Ms Milakis here
As you may already be aware, the Pro Life Campaign are running a campaign to make sure that we hold our national broadcaster RTÉ to account for its glaringly one-sided coverage of the abortion issue.
We are asking like minded people to send an E-card to RTÉ, asking them to "Stop The Media Bias".
Thousands of cards have been sent already, but we need much much more to make a real impact.
Please help us spread the word by ordering your leaflets today. These can be given to friends, family and community, informing them of the campaign and encouraging them to send a card also.
Raise funds and support mothers and babies this summer.
Taking part is easy and fun. Run, cycle or swim, you decide. How and where you do the 5k is your choice. You may decide to do it with a group of friends or solo, it’s up to you!
Just remember to tell your family and friends about your plans and ask them to sponsor you.
Register today and receive your free LoveBoth T-Shirt and sponsorship pack
Would you like to experience working with a pro-active Human Rights organisation?
APPLY HERE to our exciting virtual intern programme for students!
Participants on the programme will have an opportunity to network with other young people and develop skills in advocacy, campaign management and project planning.
Internships run for one-week periods and are suitable for second level (Transition year or older) and third level students.
Each intern will do 4 hours supervised work each day and will be working on areas such as social media, contact with members of the movement nationwide, project planning and contributing to support work for women and their babies.
Internships are not paid, however expenses will be covered.
If you or a family member is interested, please complete the below form and we will be in touch with you presently. Placements are subject to availability.
All of our work is possible because of YOUR continued volunteerism and financial support. If you can please consider donating to the Pro Life Campaign. Thank you!
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]
