BIRTHRIGHT
The Pro Life Campaign is a non-denominational lobby group, drawing its support from a wide cross-section of Irish society. The Campaign promotes pro-life education and defends human life at all stages from conception to natural death. It also campaigns for resources to support and assist pregnant women and those in need of healing after abortion.
Positively Protecting Life
PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT SHOULD NOT LOSE HOPE
Pro Life Campaign volunteers outside the Dáil during the final vote on the abortion bill
After the final vote in the Dáil on the abortion bill, Labour TDs clapped. Fine Gael TDs did not. It was a revealing moment. Labour was celebrating after a 20 year campaign to introduce abortion. Fine Gael on the other hand had just broken a solemn pre-election promise not to introduce abortion. Many of the Fine Gael TDs were also feeling uncomfortable for allowing themselves be bullied and browbeaten by the Fine Gael leadership into voting against their consciences. Despite the Taoiseach’s insistence that the new law was about protecting women’s lives, this is not the case. Medical treatments to protect women’s lives were always permitted. The new law was introduced to appease Labour and because the Taoiseach was not prepared to defend innocent unborn human lives.
And it is a truly barbaric law – for the first time in Ireland’s history, an unborn baby can be destroyed right up to birth, based on a threat of suicide even though the Government knows there is not a shred of medical evidence to support it. The road back will not be easy but the strength and resolve of the pro-life movement that emerged in recent months is the kind of foundation that will ensure this unjust law will eventually be overturned. And when the chips were down we saw Lucinda Creighton and others vote against the bill. They may be few, but the effects of their historic witness should not be underestimated. They kept their word. Democracy rests on this. We won’t forget them.
Pro Life Campaign spokespeople Dr Berry Kiely, Caroline Simons, Geraldine Martin and Wendy Grace at a recent press conference in Dublin
ENDA KENNY AND MICHEÁL MARTIN WOULD BE FOOLISH TO TAKE COMFORT FROM DISTORTED POLLS ON ABORTION
Polls on abortion released by The Irish Times and others during the recent debate had a significant bearing on the final outcome. The results gave a false impression that there had been a dramatic shift in public opinion in favour of abortion. But critically, none of these polls distinguished between induced abortion and necessary medical treatments to save the life of the mother (where every effort is also made to save the baby). Political commentators said the results proved the Government “called it right” in judging the public mood on abortion. But Enda Kenny and Micheál Martin would be very foolish to take comfort from such punditry. Recent Millward Brown and Amárach polls which made a clear distinction between life saving medical treatments and abortion showed majority support for the pro-life position. One of the questions in the recent Amárach poll* asked respondents to scale their support or opposition to abortion “if it were clearly shown that abortion is not a treatment for a pregnant woman with suicidal feelings.” Of those who expressed an opinion, 60% said they would be ‘very unlikely’ or ‘unlikely’ to support abortion on such grounds. 40% of respondents said they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to support abortion in such circumstances. * Amárach Research, July 2013
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK The Pro Life Campaign has to date almost 30,000 followers on Facebook. The vast majority are aged 18-44 and based in Ireland. The numbers of young people choosing to join us on Facebook far outstrips the numbers of young people joining the pages of, say, the main political parties. To follow us on Facebook and to view the latest pro-life videos and posts simply log into Facebook and type ‘Pro Life Campaign Ireland’ in the Search box.
MEDIA BLACKOUT ON MARIE STOPES ABORTION DEATH STORY It says a lot about the standard of journalism in this country when the tragic death of a woman from Ireland after an abortion at a Marie Stopes clinic in London barely made the news here. In July, RTÉ and other news outlets ran the story for just a few hours the day it broke. After that - a stunned silence. Where was the sense of outrage at what happened? Where was the level of media scrutiny like that which surrounded the Savita case? This and other similar stories raise profound questions about the double standards in the Irish media that cannot continue to go unchallenged.
A woman from Ireland bled to death in the back of a taxi in London hours after a botched abortion and instead of challenging Marie Stopes over its recklessly endangering practices, the Irish Times used the story to call for more abortion services in Ireland. This tragic story is not the first incident of a life-endangering situation involving an Irish woman at a Marie Stopes clinic. In December 2011, Dr Phanuel Dartey was struck off the General Medical Register in Britain for almost killing an Irish woman after performing a botched abortion at the same Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, London. RTÉ and the Irish Times never bothered to report on this story at all. The role that RTÉ and other media have played in promoting abortion in Ireland has made them part of the story rather than just being impartial reporters. The pro-life movement cannot let this one sit. It is something that demands urgent attention.
One section of the crowd at the National Vigil for Life in Merrion Square on 8th June
Terence Flanagan TD being congratulated by Pro Life Campaign volunteers outside the Dáil after he voted against the abortion bill
PLEASE REMEMBER THE PLC IN YOUR WILL Providing for your family will be the most important part of your Will. If you are then in a position to leave something to a good cause, we hope you will consider the Pro Life Campaign’s work over the years. Good causes rely on bequests as a source of income. Big donations are marvellous but the smallest gift makes a big difference. If you would like a copy of our new Wills leaflet, please get in touch and we will forward a copy.
Caitriona Curran, Evana Boyle and Seána Stafford at a vigil outside Dáil Éireann
NEW GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN
Those who worked tirelessly to stop the abortion law being passed understandably feel dismayed and upset at what has happened. But we cannot lose hope. Every great civil rights cause suffers setbacks. What matters now is that we start right away to lay the foundations of a credible strategy to overturn this unjust law. The tens of thousands at the vigils over the past year surprised even the most seasoned political commentators. But we know these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.
prol i fe campaign
104 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, Ireland 01 6629275 / info@prolifecampaign.ie / www.prolifecampaign.ie
Honorary President: Chairperson: Deputy Chairperson: Legal Adviser: Medical Adviser: Legal Consultant: Secretary: Education Officers:
Perhaps you are willing to devote some of your free time to finding new ways of bringing the pro-life message to your community? Perhaps you are willing to make a small financial commitment to secure the implementation of the Pro Life Campaign programme over the next three years? Perhaps you have your own ideas on how you can best help the campaign? Regardless of how you wish to help, please take the time to call us today and we will send you more details.
We are asking every supporter to make a personal commitment to assist our efforts. To find out how you can help, please email grassroots@prolifecampaign.ie or phone 087-2668702
Des Hanafin Dr Joe McCarroll Cora Sherlock Professor William Binchy Dr Berry Kiely Caroline Simons John O’Reilly Geraldine Martin / Dr Ruth Cullen
If you wish to make a financial contribution to the Pro Life Campaign, please fill in the coupon and return it to the address listed below - thank you!
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10.10.13
The Pro Life Campaign is absolutely committed to this undertaking. The goal of the Grassroots Campaign is to repeal the law not simply oppose it.
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ASSISTING THE PRO LIFE CAMPAIGN The Pro Life Campaign needs all the support it can get to bring its message to the wider community.
The challenge facing us now is the painstaking work of helping this silent majority to find and raise its pro-life voice. It means working closely with people from every town and village to build a pro-life momentum that cannot be ignored.
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