Claims that Marie Stopes International (MSI) is to carry out
abortions at a new centre in Belfast have been condemned by pro-life
campaigners in both Northern and Southern Ireland. The Society for theProtection of Unborn Children (SPUC) said that it was
irresponsible and crass for the abortion giant to suggest it would provide
abortions at a newly established centre. The procedure is only legal when there
is a serious danger to the mother's life.
SPUC has twice taken Northern Ireland health department to
court to force it to withdraw abortion guidelines, because they failed to
reflect the law accurately. The pro-life group was proved correct in its
approach to the law on both occasions.
Liam Gibson, SPUC's development officer in the Province
said: "The law here is clear. The Northern Ireland Assembly has
jurisdiction over abortion, not Marie Stopes. And the people of Northern
Ireland are not prepared to let the abortion industry change our law by
breaking it. Abortion is not health care, it is a criminal offence. Only in
extreme circumstances, when a woman's life is in danger, can it even be
considered. Health officials and the Regulation and Quality Improvement
Authority (RQIA) should explain why they think any doctor dealing with such a
case should send a pregnant woman to a private, commercially-run campaign
group's abortion centre rather than offering her NHS hospital care.
"Health officials and the RQIA are grossly abusing
their power by suggesting that Marie Stopes will be offering `legal abortions'
at this centre", said Mr Gibson.
"Abortionists in Britain may be used to flouting the
law by performing sex-selection abortions on baby girls and falsifying
paperwork, but the pro-life people and politicians in Northern Ireland expect officials
to ensure that the laws here protecting the right to life of unborn children
will be enforced. It is deeply disturbing to see public officials adopting the
role of promoting illegal abortion regardless of the law, as the Department of
Health has done in England over many years", concluded Mr Gibson.
Liam Gibson, SPUC's Northern Ireland development officer,
can be contacted on 07968 078773 or 028 9077 8018 or liamgibson@spuc.org.uk
Marie Stopes International (MSI) UK had an income of £145
million last year, mostly in fees and grants from government bodies (but also
fees from clients) for abortion and other "sexual health
services".
MSI began advertising abortion on television in England in
2010, but stopped after advertising groups received a record number of
objections and SPUC pointed out that the advertising was both grossly offensive
and illegal
