New Irish Referendums on Seanad abolition and creation of a new Court of Appeal

I have grave concerns about the implications of the two referendums the Irish Government have arranged to be held on October 4^th, in relation the abolition of the Seanad (Senate) and the creation of a new Court of appeal.

I am reprinting below a copy of a news release I received from Nora Bennis

Dear Friends of Life and the Family,

Our worst fears about the consequence of a yes vote in the upcoming two referenda appear to be confirmed by Michael McDowell (former Attorney General) in his article in the Sunday Independent of 22/9/13.  The two referenda are intrinsically linked.

He states a yes vote will “amend the terms of Article 29 [of our Constitution] to give the Dail sole power WITHOUT HOLDING ANY REFERENDUM to surrender our EU veto on corporate tax AND ALL OTHER MATTERS WHERE NOW WE HOLD A VETO….”   The Lisbon Treaty Guarantees gave Ireland a veto on Taxation certainly.  But it also gave us a veto on two other matters – on the Right to Life, Family and Education, and on Security and Defence.   The guarantee on the Right to Life, Family and Education states:

Nothing in the Treaty of Lisbon attributing legal status to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union or in the provisions of that Treaty in the area of Freedom, Security and Justice, affects in any way, the scope and applicability of the protection of the right to life in Article 40.3.1, 40.3.2 and 40.3.3, the protection of the Family in Article 41, and the protection of the rights in respect of education in Articles 42, 44.2.4 and 44.2.5 provided by the Constitution of Ireland.

If these referenda are passed, the Dail will have sole power, without going to the people in a Referendum, to legislate in the matter of Life, Family and Education.  Enda obviously knew what he was doing when he pushed through his abortion legislation.  He anticipated a yes vote in the upcoming referenda, which would make it impossible for pro-lifers to win any Constitutional challenge to this legislation.

Vivienne Reding, EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, has made it quite clear that she wants to enforce respect for the Charter of Fundamental Rights on all EU member states, and she has been working hard to have member states put a “mechanism” in place which will make this possible.

I have now no doubt that the two referenda being put to the Irish people on October 4th, are part of that “mechanism”.  Once again, our politicians have bowed down to their EU masters.

Nora Bennis

Up to 10 heroic members of Fine Gael Party poised to defy party whip and vote against Irish Government pro-abortion legislation

The Independent reports that Lucinda Creighton could lead up to 10 rebels from Fine Gael over abortion bill

According to the report European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton is poised to lead a string of Fine Gael TDs in voting against the Government's abortion bill.

The report which can be accessed on this link continues below  

It means as many as 10 Fine Gael deputies could lose the party whip, a rebellion that would put a huge dent in its parliamentary ranks.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected suggestions of major changes to the contentious legislation – which could spark the biggest Dail rebellion in living memory.

Mr Kenny has informed some TDs they will not be Fine Gael candidates in the next election if they defy the party whip.

Senior government sources admit they could lose as many as 10 TDs, but say the more likely figure is six.

The fallout could reduce the number of Fine Gael TDs from its current level of 74 to as low as 64 – although the Government would still have a comfortable majority. Four TDs have already committed to voting against the bill, while as many as six more are waiting for their concerns to be met as the legislation goes through the Oireachtas over the next fortnight.

Ms Creighton made a strident speech in the Dail that could ultimately see her split from the Fine Gael parliamentary part and lose her ministerial job.

Ms Creighton said "Fine Gael was a party which unashamedly defended the right to life and issued repeated statements to that effect over the years, including stridently in advance of the last general election".

She said she did not want to "give up" on the Government's work for economic recovery, but she was "making a decision on life and death".

"All I can do . . . is consult my conscience, which is based on my sense of what is right and what is wrong. What else can I consult?"

Internal Fine Gael exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter, with Justice Minister Alan Shatter describing some of Ms Creighton's claims as "extraordinary", while backbenchers accused the whip system of "bullying".

Some Fine Gael TDs who have difficulties with the issue of suicide as grounds for abortion acknowledged that Mr Kenny has already shut down the prospect of substantial changes to the bill. Ms Creighton asked for the suicide clause to be removed, but Mr Kenny said: "This is not possible, and would, in my view, be counterproductive."

LIBERAL

Mr Kenny also rejected calls for confirmation of a legal term limit for abortion, and sought to allay fears the legislation could lead to a liberal abortion regime.

"If I, as a person who is opposed to abortion, thought for one moment that this bill would lead to a liberal abortion regime in Ireland, I would not be asking the House to enact it," he said.

As the most senior TD to express major reservations, Ms Creighton's stance could also encourage others to defy party bosses and she has become a focal point for potential rebels.

Deputies Peter Mathews, Brian Walsh, Terence Flanagan and Billy Timmins have already said they will vote against the Government, while others like Ms Creighton, John Paul Phelan, John O'Mahony, James Bannon, Michelle Mulherin, Sean Conlan and Ray Butler are waiting to see if the bill can still be changed or clarified.

Some wavering TDs feel they can secure some changes before the final vote ahead of the Dail recess later this month.

Other TDs whose support for the bill was thought to be in doubt – such as Damien English and Peter Fitzpatrick – have since indicated they will back it.

The first vote on the bill will be this evening, but many will vote it through at this stage before making a final call once the legislation has gone through the Oireachtas Health Committee, when amendments can be tabled.

Health Minister James Reilly met numerous TDs – including Ms Creighton – yesterday to discuss their concerns, but sources said he did not give any indications of changing the legislation substantially.

Ms Creighton, who asked for other substantial changes, flew to Strasbourg last night with Mr Kenny for his European Parliament speech, wrapping up the Irish Presidency of the EU.