Irish pro-life advocates are fighting fiercely for unborn babies’ rights as the country prepares for a referendum vote on its Eighth Amendment.
Earlier this week, the government announced plans to hold a vote in May on whether to repeal the amendment, which protects unborn babies’ right to life.
Pro-life leaders in the country responded Friday with confidence that the Irish people will not readily abandon protections for the unborn, the Irish Times reports.
The Pro Life Campaign said pro-abortion politicians have given inconsistent remarks about what type of legislation they would support if the repeal passes, and Ireland could see abortion on demand legalized.
“Unrestricted abortion on demand is a virtual certainty in the short to medium term” if the repeal happens, the campaign said.
Here’s more from the report:
“The Tánaiste has said he is in favour of repeal but against legislation,” Prof William Binchy said on Friday. “What we’re trying to do today is to emphasise that that stance is inconsistent.
“If you are against abortion on demand, you have to be against the proposal which is now being presented by the Government.” …
Prof Binchy said this was not “scaremongering or accusing politicians of bad behaviour”, but that “the political process of its nature will cater for special interests and compromises”.
Pro-life leader Cora Sherlock expressed confidence that the Eighth Amendment will be retained.
“I do believe that the people will vote to retain the right to life of every human being in the Constitution which is the rightful place for it,” she said.
Caroline Simons, a fellow campaigner, agreed, saying the Irish people will vote pro-life if they truly understand the situation.
“I’m confident that if the journalists give us a fair crack of the whip to present our side of the story that the confusion about what actually repealing the Eighth Amendment would mean will clear up and I think that can only benefit our campaign,” Simons said.
Ireland is one of the last pro-life countries in Europe, and has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world. Abortion activists, backed by some of the world’s richest men, have been pushing the pro-life country to legalize abortion on demand for years.
Along with the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, SPUC reports the Oireachtas Committee recommended legislation that allows abortion up to 12 weeks for any reason, and past 12 weeks if the baby is diagnosed with a terminal condition or if the mother’s health is jeopardized.
However, others have suggested that late-term abortions also be allowed for unborn babies with Down syndrome and other disabilities.
A recent poll by The Irish Times found modest support for limited abortion laws. A majority of respondents (56 percent) said they would repeal the Eighth Amendment; however, 57 percent also said they had “reservations” about legalizing abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
A 2015 poll for the Sunday Times found that just 33 percent of Irish residents support abortion laws similar to those in England. A 2013 poll also found strong support for the Eighth Amendment.
Pro-life advocates are fighting against bias in the government and media, as well as an influx of outside money to Irish pro-abortion groups.
The Irish Standards in Public Office Commission, or Sipo, recently said Amnesty International Ireland received illegal donations American billionaire George Soros to push abortion. The pro-abortion group refused to give back the money. The Abortion Rights Campaign, another Irish group that received money from Soros’ Open Society Foundations, agreed to return the donation based on the government findings.
