List updated Tuesday Feb 23rd The General Election next week is a great opportunity for values voters to express opposition to the so called liberal, but in reality anti life and family, agenda that is being implemented by our Government.
This election comes within a few weeks of the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter rising which kick started Ireland's journey to self governance. I feel certain that those who gave their lives in the fight for Irish freedom would find today's Ireland unrecognizable and completely contrary to their noble intentions when it comes to life, family and other precious issues.
The policies of the outgoing government on issues such as abortion and same sex marriage have had the effect of removing some of the uncertainty about where various TDs stand on issues critical to the values voter.
The position is in fact quite complex as there are many issues that must be taken into account when making the decision to vote for anyone.
The following guide has been put together by Seamas de Barra from various sources on the positions of the various candidates on retention or rejection of the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment.
The decision on who to vote for is however complicated by those who openly supported constitutional change in the definition of marriage which led to the disastrous outcome in the ensuing referendum.
In addition there are other major issues coming down the line such as surrogacy, and assisted human reproduction. Outgoing Minister for Health, Dr Leo Varadkar, has expressed his intention, if returned, to introduce legislation favouring surrogacy, and the public funding of in vitro fertilization. In vitro fertilization on a regular basis involves wastage of 96% of the human embryos involved, and that wastage has been described by the Vatican in Dignitas Personae (2008) as ‘abortions’ [§16].
The following list includes all the Independents and has:
- broken down the FF numbers into those who voted either for or against the 2013 pro-abortion legislation,
- those who have declared either for or against the removal of the remaining protection for the unborn under the banner of removal of the 8th amendment;
- the TDs who were removed from Fine Gael over the 2013 pro-abortion legislation;
- Renua candidates either for or against the removal of the remaining protection for the unborn under the banner of removal of the 8th amendment;
- the 1 Green Party candidate in favour of the 8th, Sinéad Byrne;
- the 1 Sinn Féin candidate who voted against the pro-abortion legislation , Peadar Tóibín.
Independent Candidates, and some others, in Favour of Retaining
the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan-Monaghan Mary Smyth; Donegal Tim Jackson; Galway East Sean Canney. Michael Fahy; Galway West Fidelma Healy-Eames, Noel Grealish, Tommy Roddy; Mayo Peter Jordan, Gerry O’Boyle, George O’Malley; Roscommon/Galway Denis Naughten; Sligo/Leitrim Bernie O’Hara, Des Guckian.
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny Paddy Manning; Kildare North ––––– ; Kildare South –––––– ;
Laois –––––– ; Offaly Kate Bopp; Longford-Westmeath Noel McKervey [Catholic Democrats]; Louth –– ; Meath East Sharon Keogan; Meath West John Malone; Wexford –––– ; Wicklow Joe Behan.
Munster
Clare ––––– ; Cork East ––––– ; Cork North Central Ger Keohane; Cork South Central –––– ; Cork South-West Theresa Heaney [Catholic Democrats], Michael Collins; Cork North-West John Paul O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Flynn; Kerry Michael Healy-Rae, Mary E. Fitzgibbon, John Brassil Danny Healy Rae; Limerick City Nora Bennis [Catholic Democrats]; Limerick County Emmet O’Brien, Richard O’Donoghue, John O’Gorman; Tipperary Mattie McGrath, Michael Lowry; Waterford John Walsh.
Dublin
Dublin Bay North Paul Clarke, Proinsias Ó Conaire; Dublin Bay South ––––– ;
Dublin Central –––––––; Dublin Fingal (North) ––––– ; Dublin North-West ––– ;
Dublin Rathdown Peter Mathews; Dublin South Central –––––; Dublin South-West Kieran Adam Quigley, Ronan McMahon [Renua]; Dublin West ––– ;
Dún Laoghaire ––––– ; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
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Fianna Fáil Dáil Candidates who have declared in Favour of Retaining
the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan/Monaghan ––––– ; Donegal –––– ; Galway East Colm Keaveney; Galway West Éamon Ó Cuív, Mary Hoade, John Connolly; Mayo ––––– ; Roscommon/Galway –––– ; Sligo-Leitrim ––– .
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny ––––– ; Kilare North James Lawless; Kildare South ––––– ;
Laois ––––– ; Offaly ––––– ; Longford-Westmeath ––––– ; Louth ––––– ;
Meath East –––– ; Meath West –––– ; Wexford –––––– ; Wicklow ––––– .
Munster
Clare Michael McDonough; Cork East Barbara Allen; Cork North Central –––– ;
Cork South Central –––– ; Cork South-West –––– ; Cork North West Aindrias Moynahan; Kerry John Brassil ; Limerick City_______; Limerick County –––––– ;
Tipperary ––––– ; Waterford –––––– .
Dublin
Dublin Bay North Seán Haughey; Dublin Bay South –––––– ; Dublin Central –––; Dublin Fingal (North) Darragh O’Brien; Dublin North-West Paul McAuliffe; Dublin Rathdown –––– ; Dublin South Central ––––– ; Dublin South-West –––– ; Dublin West –––– Jack Chambers; Dún Laoghaire Cormac Devlin, Mary Hanafin; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
Fianna Fáil Dáil candidates who voted against the pro-abortion legislation
the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan/Monaghan Brendan Smith; Donegal Charlie McConalogue; Galway East Colm Keaveney; Galway West Éamon Ó Cuív; Mayo Dara Calleary; Roscommon/Galway ––– ; Sligo-Leitrim Senator Mark McSharry.
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny John McGuinness; Kildare North ––––– ; Kildare South Seán Ó Fearghaíl; Laois Seán Fleming; Offaly ––––– ; Longford/Westmeath Robert Troy [but favours abortion of babies with life-limiting conditions]; Louth –––– ; Meath East ––––– ; Meath West –––– ; Wexford –––– ; Wicklow ––––– .
Munster
Clare ––––– ; Cork East ––––– ; Cork North Central ––––– ; Cork South Central Michael McGrath; Cork South West ––––– ; Cork North-West Michael Moynihan;
Kerry ––––– ; Limerick City Willie O'Dea; Limerick County ––––– ; Tipperary ––––– ; Waterford –––––––– .
Dublin
Dublin Bay North ––––– ; Dublin Bay South ––––––– ; Dublin Central –––––––
Dublin Fingal (North) Darragh O’Brien; Dublin North-West –––––– ; Dublin Rathdown ––––– ; Dublin South Central –––––– ; Dublin South-West –––––– ;
Dublin West –––––– ; Dún Laoghaire ––––––– ; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
Fianna Fáil candidates who voted in favour of the pro-abortion legislation the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013
Offaly Barry Cowan; Clare Timmy Dooley; Limerick County Niall Collins; Cork North Central Billy Kelleher; Cork South Central Micheál Martin; Dublin Rathdown Senator Mary White.
Fianna Fáil candidates who are against retaining the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment/ or have declared in favour of Abortion
in certain circumstances
Mayo Lisa Chambers; Longford/Westmeath Robert Troy; Wexford Malcolm Byrne, Aoife Byrne; Kerry Norma Moriarty; Dublin Bay South Jim O’Callaghan; Dublin Fingal (North) Lorraine Clifford Lea; Dublin South Central Catherine Ardagh.
TDs who were expelled from Fine Gael for voting against
the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 and are running
in this General Election
Galway West Senator Fidelma Healy Eames [Independent]; Wicklow Billy Timmins [Renua]; Cork East Senator Paul Bradford [Renua]; Dublin Bay North Terence Flanagan [Renua]; Dublin Bay South Lucinda Creighton [Renua]; Dublin Rathdown Peter Mathews [Independent].
Renua Candidates who haven’t run previously and who have declared in favour of the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Galway West Nicola Davoren; Mayo Michael Farrington; Sligo-Leitrim Finbarr Filan; Louth Michael O’Dowd; Cork East Senator Paul Bradford; Cork North-West Jason Fitzgerald; Dublin South-West Ronan McMahon; Dublin West Jo O’Brien.
Renua Candidates who are opposed to the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Kildare South Mary Kennedy; Cork South Central Ciaran Kenneally; Kerry Donal Corcoran; Dublin South Central Michael Gargan; Dún Laoghaire Frank Cronin.
the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan-Monaghan Mary Smyth; Donegal Tim Jackson; Galway East Sean Canney. Michael Fahy; Galway West Fidelma Healy-Eames, Noel Grealish, Tommy Roddy; Mayo Peter Jordan, Gerry O’Boyle, George O’Malley; Roscommon/Galway Denis Naughten; Sligo/Leitrim Bernie O’Hara, Des Guckian.
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny Paddy Manning; Kildare North ––––– ; Kildare South –––––– ;
Laois –––––– ; Offaly Kate Bopp; Longford-Westmeath Noel McKervey [Catholic Democrats]; Louth –– ; Meath East Sharon Keogan; Meath West John Malone; Wexford –––– ; Wicklow Joe Behan.
Munster
Clare ––––– ; Cork East ––––– ; Cork North Central Ger Keohane; Cork South Central –––– ; Cork South-West Theresa Heaney [Catholic Democrats], Michael Collins; Cork North-West John Paul O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Flynn; Kerry Michael Healy-Rae, Mary E. Fitzgibbon, John Brassil Danny Healy Rae; Limerick City Nora Bennis [Catholic Democrats]; Limerick County Emmet O’Brien, Richard O’Donoghue, John O’Gorman; Tipperary Mattie McGrath, Michael Lowry; Waterford John Walsh.
Dublin
Dublin Bay North Paul Clarke, Proinsias Ó Conaire; Dublin Bay South ––––– ;
Dublin Central –––––––; Dublin Fingal (North) ––––– ; Dublin North-West ––– ;
Dublin Rathdown Peter Mathews; Dublin South Central –––––; Dublin South-West Kieran Adam Quigley, Ronan McMahon [Renua]; Dublin West ––– ;
Dún Laoghaire ––––– ; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
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Fianna Fáil Dáil Candidates who have declared in Favour of Retaining
the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan/Monaghan ––––– ; Donegal –––– ; Galway East Colm Keaveney; Galway West Éamon Ó Cuív, Mary Hoade, John Connolly; Mayo ––––– ; Roscommon/Galway –––– ; Sligo-Leitrim ––– .
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny ––––– ; Kilare North James Lawless; Kildare South ––––– ;
Laois ––––– ; Offaly ––––– ; Longford-Westmeath ––––– ; Louth ––––– ;
Meath East –––– ; Meath West –––– ; Wexford –––––– ; Wicklow ––––– .
Munster
Clare Michael McDonough; Cork East Barbara Allen; Cork North Central –––– ;
Cork South Central –––– ; Cork South-West –––– ; Cork North West Aindrias Moynahan; Kerry John Brassil ; Limerick City_______; Limerick County –––––– ;
Tipperary ––––– ; Waterford –––––– .
Dublin
Dublin Bay North Seán Haughey; Dublin Bay South –––––– ; Dublin Central –––; Dublin Fingal (North) Darragh O’Brien; Dublin North-West Paul McAuliffe; Dublin Rathdown –––– ; Dublin South Central ––––– ; Dublin South-West –––– ; Dublin West –––– Jack Chambers; Dún Laoghaire Cormac Devlin, Mary Hanafin; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
Fianna Fáil Dáil candidates who voted against the pro-abortion legislation
the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013
Connacht/Ulster
Cavan/Monaghan Brendan Smith; Donegal Charlie McConalogue; Galway East Colm Keaveney; Galway West Éamon Ó Cuív; Mayo Dara Calleary; Roscommon/Galway ––– ; Sligo-Leitrim Senator Mark McSharry.
Leinster
Carlow/Kilkenny John McGuinness; Kildare North ––––– ; Kildare South Seán Ó Fearghaíl; Laois Seán Fleming; Offaly ––––– ; Longford/Westmeath Robert Troy [but favours abortion of babies with life-limiting conditions]; Louth –––– ; Meath East ––––– ; Meath West –––– ; Wexford –––– ; Wicklow ––––– .
Munster
Clare ––––– ; Cork East ––––– ; Cork North Central ––––– ; Cork South Central Michael McGrath; Cork South West ––––– ; Cork North-West Michael Moynihan;
Kerry ––––– ; Limerick City Willie O'Dea; Limerick County ––––– ; Tipperary ––––– ; Waterford –––––––– .
Dublin
Dublin Bay North ––––– ; Dublin Bay South ––––––– ; Dublin Central –––––––
Dublin Fingal (North) Darragh O’Brien; Dublin North-West –––––– ; Dublin Rathdown ––––– ; Dublin South Central –––––– ; Dublin South-West –––––– ;
Dublin West –––––– ; Dún Laoghaire ––––––– ; Dublin Mid-West ––––– .
Fianna Fáil candidates who voted in favour of the pro-abortion legislation the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013
Offaly Barry Cowan; Clare Timmy Dooley; Limerick County Niall Collins; Cork North Central Billy Kelleher; Cork South Central Micheál Martin; Dublin Rathdown Senator Mary White.
Fianna Fáil candidates who are against retaining the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment/ or have declared in favour of Abortion
in certain circumstances
Mayo Lisa Chambers; Longford/Westmeath Robert Troy; Wexford Malcolm Byrne, Aoife Byrne; Kerry Norma Moriarty; Dublin Bay South Jim O’Callaghan; Dublin Fingal (North) Lorraine Clifford Lea; Dublin South Central Catherine Ardagh.
TDs who were expelled from Fine Gael for voting against
the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 and are running
in this General Election
Galway West Senator Fidelma Healy Eames [Independent]; Wicklow Billy Timmins [Renua]; Cork East Senator Paul Bradford [Renua]; Dublin Bay North Terence Flanagan [Renua]; Dublin Bay South Lucinda Creighton [Renua]; Dublin Rathdown Peter Mathews [Independent].
Renua Candidates who haven’t run previously and who have declared in favour of the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Galway West Nicola Davoren; Mayo Michael Farrington; Sligo-Leitrim Finbarr Filan; Louth Michael O’Dowd; Cork East Senator Paul Bradford; Cork North-West Jason Fitzgerald; Dublin South-West Ronan McMahon; Dublin West Jo O’Brien.
Renua Candidates who are opposed to the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment
Kildare South Mary Kennedy; Cork South Central Ciaran Kenneally; Kerry Donal Corcoran; Dublin South Central Michael Gargan; Dún Laoghaire Frank Cronin.
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Sinn Fein and the Green party are in favour of repealing the remaining pro-life protection for the unborn by the removal of the 8th Amendment.
Green Party
The Green Party is in favour of repealing the 8th [or Pro-Life Amendment] but they allow a free vote on such issues. Only one Green Party candidate has declared in favour of the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment: Laois Sinéad Moore.
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is in favour of repealing the 8th [or Pro-Life] Amendment, and they don’t allow a free vote on such issues. One of their candidates voted against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, Peadar Tóibín, and he was expelled from Sinn Féin for 6 months.