Politicians reap what they sow

There has been much political analysis on the fallout from the Local and European elections in Ireland and the resignation of the Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore. Needless to say neither the media nor the political parties seem to understand that it is not only economic issues that influence voters decisions when they come to cast their votes.

The Government parties and Fine Gael, in particular, don’t seem to understand that promises matter and that their high-handed approach to the introduction of abortion legislation is anathema to a huge segment of the electorate. There are very few issues that will bring 60,000 to the streets in public protest but the message went unheeded.  Public opinion was rejected in a most arrogant manner and the TD’s who decided to vote with their consciences were treated shabbily.

Do they think we have short memories, that we have forgotten?

The Government then promised in the wake of the introduction of the anti life legislation that they would hold a referendum in 2015 on so called ‘same sex marriage’ and in the meantime would introduce unacceptable family legislation. They would do well to look across the Irish Sea and consider what has happened to the Government parties there in the wake of the same sex marriage legislation. If they are wise they will quietly drop the proposals and leave our Constitution alone.

In what was a huge slap in the face to the Catholic population of Ireland Tanaiste and Labour leader Eamonn Gilmore arbitrarily shut down the Irish Embassy to the Holy See, supposedly to save government expenditure. Who did he think he was kidding?

In the lead up to the recent election the attempt to play the Catholic card by inviting Pope Francis to come to Ireland and reopening the Vatican Embassy was seen for what it was, a cynical attempt to win back those who had been antognised by the earlier anti Catholic actions.

Did they really think they could treat the electorate in this way and escape scot free?

There is no doubt in my mind that the government parties are responsible for their own demise, they have been ‘hoist with their own petard’.

Catholic Mater Hospital to comply with new abortion law

The Journal reported Wednesday, September 25^th, that Dublin’s Mater Hospital has issued a statement to say it will comply with the laws provided for the in the new Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013. If anyone was in any doubt about the implications of the new law on abortion and how it will be implemented this statement by Mater Hospital should ring warning bells.

The Journal article reads;

Following ‘careful consideration’ of the new legislation, the hospital said its priority is to be at the “frontier of compassion, concern and clinical care for all our patients”.

“Having regard to that duty the hospital will comply with the law as provided for in the act,” it concluded in the brief note.

The article continues, (C) concerns had been raised last month when one of the members of the hospital’s board of governors and board of directors told the Irish Times that the Mater could not comply with the laws.

“The Mater can’t carry out abortions because it goes against its ethos,” Fr Kevin Doran said. “I would be very concerned that the Minister [for Health, James Reilly] sees fit to make it impossible for hospitals to have their own ethos.”

The Mater is one of 25 ‘appropriate institutions’ named in the act where legal terminations can take place when a woman’s life is in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has said the Act has still not commenced.

So what happened? What has caused this change of heart?  One has to ask, did Minister for Health James Reilly or one of his minions, see fit, as Fr Kevin Doran feared, to make it impossible for this Catholic Hospital, and by extension every Catholic Hospital, to have their own ethos?

This actually begs further questions. Are we now living in a dictatorship and a very anti Catholic one at that? Are we entering into a new phase of penal laws, this time not imposed by a foreign power but by our own people?

I have news for James Reilly and for Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Our sons and daughters are precious human beings, our own flesh and blood. We will not permit you to take their lives for any reason let alone the imposition of an ideology or the dictates of our European masters. We will not bow down to your tyranny, we will resist in every possible, lawful, way and ‘we shall overcome some day’. We will work to change your unjust laws but we shall do so justly. Truth always prevails in the end