The Pro Life Campaign this week accused publicly funded groups like the National Women’s Council and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission of effectively working in sync with one another to dismantle the last remaining protections for unborn babies in the law. Both groups have called for sweeping legal changes as part of the Government’s Three Year Review of the law.  The report and recommendations of the review are expected to be published in the coming weeks.

In a press release issued earlier in the week, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign said: “It has become so formulaic for taxpayer funded groups like the National Women’s Council and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to intervene in the abortion debate at critical junctures, using almost identical speaking points and with the same set of demands. The fact that it has become so predictable does not make it right. Taxpayer funded groups are not meant to retreat into like-minded enclaves but rather have a duty to listen to a wide diversity of viewpoints. The fact that we can safely say neither group did so before finalising their submissions to the Three-Year Review highlights how narrow and predetermined their perspectives are.

Referring directly to both organisations, she said: “For a group like the National Women’s Council who are meant to represent the concerns of all women, to never seek the views of, for example, groups representing women who regret their abortions is indefensible. For the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, a body that’s supposed to defend the weakest members of society to be proposing to strip all remaining legal protections from unborn babies throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy, is equally reprehensible.”

Ms Mulroy continued: “It’s bad enough that the Government has completely excluded pro-life voices from the review process but for taxpayer funded groups to use their privileged positions to intervene in the debate in such a partisan and unfair way is something that needs to be called out and debated.”

This Christmas, why not take the opportunity to check in with friends and family that you haven’t been able to spend time with during 2022?

We are selling Christmas cards, the sale proceeds of which will help us continue our work seeking human rights for unborn babies and supporting their mothers.

A pack of 10 cards costs €15.

Order your cards today, in time to send to friends and family this Christmas!
*Prices include cost of delivery to you (ROI residents).

A Special Oireachtas Committee on assisted suicide/euthanasia is set to be convened before the  Christmas break, with the terms of reference agreed by the Dáil Reform Committee.

Those pressing for this new committee to be established are determined to see euthanasia legalised in this country and are hell-bent on using any committee structure to bring it about. Talk about wanting to ensure proper “safeguards” are put in place and guaranteeing that no one ever feels “pressured” to opt for euthanasia is just a political smokescreen to get what they really want, which is the legalisation of assisted suicide/euthanasia in Ireland without any meaningful safeguards. 

If evidence were needed, you only have to look at the 'Dying With Dignity' bill which passed at Second Stage in the Dáil in October 2020 by 81 votes to 71. That particular bill, if it had been approved at final stage in the Dáil would have allowed wide open euthanasia in Ireland. Thankfully it was stopped last year by the Oireachtas Committee on Justice from progressing to a final vote. On another optimistic note, it was highly significant that over 2,500 medical doctors signed a petition at the time expressing their opposition to the bill - including a large number of specialists in end-of-life care.

It is all-important however that whenever the latest committee gets up and running that everyone opposed to euthanasia makes their voices heard. We need to give our full backing to the courageous TDs and Senators who are prepared to stand in opposition to any moves to introduce euthanasia. We need to be generous in coming forward to share personal stories that could impact the debate. Don’t assume your story about yourself or a loved one has no relevance in the debate. Send a quick email to [email protected] and tell them about your story. They will treat it in the strictest confidence and respect your wishes on how it might be transmitted to a wider audience.

When baby Hector Tully was born prematurely at 23 weeks, he was given one day to live. Defying medical odds, he recently celebrated first birthday with his mum Marie Clare and family.

Even though it has not been an easy 12 months, Marie Clare says it’s been the happiest year of her life. Hector not surprisingly has extra complications due to his prematurity at birth. He is still a regular patient at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh and has undergone several operations. Despite all the struggles Marie Claire says: "I feel the luckiest person, he brings so much joy to so many people. He is beyond a miracle and I am so proud of him."

Baby Hector’s amazing story of survival at 23 weeks brings into sharp focus the abortion law in Britain which permits abortion up to 24 weeks in pregnancy, and up to birth in cases where the baby has a disability.

Earlier this week, the Court of Appeal in London rejected disability rights campaigner Heidi Crowter’s challenge to the discriminatory abortion law that permits abortion up to birth on disability grounds, including in cases where the baby is diagnosed with Down's syndrome.

There is no rational, scientific or ethical justification for legalised abortion. The stories of baby Hector and Heidi Crowter’s legal challenge prove that. Every elected politician and judge of the courts knows this to be the case. They are fully aware of the incoherence and inhumanity involved in defending legalised abortion. But they also know that if they were to concede that an unborn baby has a right to life in one specific case, then the grounds for abortion on all grounds would collapse.

After the court announced its decision, Heidi Crowter told the crowd gathered outside: “This law was made in 1967 when we were not even allowed to go to school because of our extra chromosome, so I think it’s time that the judges moved with the times and actually meet people with Down’s syndrome and see the people behind the chromosome.”

In taking her case to court, Heidi has succeeded in exposing the hypocrisy and hollow words of those who preach in favour disability rights (including judges) yet refuse to defend the right to life of unborn babies who happen to have a disability.

Heidi and Maire Lea-Wilson (mother of Aidan who has Down’s syndrome) may have lost their case in the Court of Appeal this week but by having the courage to take the case in the first instance, they have brought the day closer when consistency, joined-up thinking and justice is restored to the law.

Heidi is understood to be seeking permission for her case to be taken on to the Supreme Court.