We reported in June and October that relentless pressure is
being exerted, by pro abortion forces in the lead up to the next general
election in Ireland, to remove Ireland’s remaining protection for the lives of unborn
babies.
Now that it is clear that the next general election will be held
in spring 2016 this pressure is becoming even more relentless.
Minister for Children James Reilly on Sunday Nov 22nd called
for a referendum on the issue to take place early in the next Dáil term. Reilly
called for the next government to move quickly to repeal the 8th Amendment,
which gives equal rights to the life of the mother and that of the unborn.
The Irish Independent reports that Taoiseach Enda Kenny was
furious at Reilly’s intervention and gave him a severe dressing down prior to
the Cabinet meeting yesterday. With an
eye on being returned to power after the next election neither Kenny nor his
Finance Minister Michael Noonan wanted the issue of abortion, the taking of unborn human life, to influence their
campaign or to cause further strains in the Fine Gael Party, bearing in mind
that five TDs and three senators, including then minister Lucinda Creighton,
were forced to resign from Fine Gael in 2013 for voting against the Protection
of Life During Pregnancy Bill.
Reilly’s intervention according to the Irish
Independent caused a bitter split among
Fine Gael Cabinet ministers over the party's approach to the divisive issue of the taking of unborn life
and forced Mr Kenny to assure his parliamentary party that, in the event of a
referendum to repeal the pro-life amendment, TDs and senators would be permitted
vote in accordance with their conscience.
Kenny also said the
Fine Gael manifesto will not commit to a repeal of the Eighth Amendment instead
it would pledge to refer the issue to a 'Citizens Convention', which is
clearly a prelude to taking a decision to hold a referendum on the issue.
Meanwhile Labour Women has made clear that seeking a referendum to remove the remaining protection of the unborn from the
Irish Constitution will be a major plank of the Labour Parties general election campaign.
Labour Women commenced its campaign with the publication
of draft anti life legislation they hope will replace the pro-life amendment if they succeed in repealing it.
The draft legislation published by Labour Women would allow for killing unborn babies
on grounds of: risk to life of the mother, risk to health of the mother, rape and foetal abnormality. In short it is a recipe for abortion on demand
No one should be under any illusion about the issue, a major battle about the rights of the unborn has already begun and everything must be done to protect all unborn life.
Not only should article 40.3.3, the 28th amendment
to the Irish Constitution remain, to ensure that the lives of all unborn babies
be given constitutional protection, it is also essential for pro-life
organizations to seek the strengthening of the existing amendment to counteract
the effects of recent pro-abortion legislation.We must take the initiative away from the anti life forces and demand full and unambiguous protection for all unborn babies.
