BIRTHRIGHT

Read the most recent Pro Life Campaign Birthright here or download from here.
You can download this document here.

US based Centre for Reproductive Rights intervenes in Irish abortion case.

Last night RTÉ's Prime Time program ran a piece on how the New York based Center for Reproductive Rights is backing a campaign to broaden Ireland's abortion law. The Center for Reproductive Rights is well known for campaigning for abortion without any restrictions. They regularly take cases against laws that try to make late term abortion more restrictive. They've also opposed laws that try to prohibit partial birth abortion and abortions based on sex or race of the unborn baby.
Clíona Johnson of One Day More spoke of her experience in deciding to have her baby after getting a fatal diagnosis for her son, John Paul. Rather than just change the law and make abortion more available she called for a more compassionate society that cares for mothers and their babies when confronted with this situation.

 Cora Sherlock, deputy chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign also appeared on the program. Among many very well made points she expressed concern that a well funded international group like the Center for Reproductive Rights has decided to interfere in the Irish abortion debate.

You can watch the full section on RTÉ player by following this link.

BPAS intervention in abortion debate is “disgusting but entirely predictable” says PLC

BPAS, the British based abortionists are now spending money promoting a change in Ireland's abortion laws.

Responding to the prominent ad in today’s Irish Times from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) promoting abortion in Ireland, Cora Sherlock of the Pro Life Campaign said: “It is disgusting but entirely predictable that the BPAS would attempt to exploit the new abortion law in Ireland with a view to establishing abortion clinics here.”
“The BPAS knows full well that the new law provides for abortion but clearly they want it to also include businesses like themselves. The ad in today’s Irish Times is all about publicity for the BPAS and has nothing to do with protecting women’s lives.

Full statement here.

PLC calls for assurances that the HIQA report recommendations will be implemented

Following the first anniversary of the death of Savita Halappanavar, the Pro Life campaign have urged the Government to provide assurances that the recommendations from the HIQA report carried out following Savita’s death would be implemented.

PLC spokesperson Dr Ruth Cullen said:

The HIQA report found a catalogue of failures in the care of Savita Halapanavar and was disturbingly similar to the findings of a HSE inquiry into the death of Tania McCabe in 2007 – a death which also resulted from a missed sepsis diagnosis and medical mismanagement. Despite seven years having passed since Tania McCabe’s death, the recommendations from the report after her death had not been implemented nationally. Had these recommendations been implemented the tragedy in Galway may not have happened.

More here.

Revealed: the abortion advice that could put lives at risk. One year later.

A year after the appearance of this story in the Irish independent and still no action has been taken.This is disgraceful on the part of the Minister for Health and the government and in marked contrast to how they forced through abortion legislation without considering the evidence.

STAFF at some taxpayer-funded pregnancy counselling services are putting women's lives at risk and breaking the law, an undercover probe has revealed.

The investigation was carried out over several months by a team of women, some from the pro-life movement, who secretly recorded counsellors at 11 locations around the country.

The original story from October 2012 can be read here. 

Over 600 attend Pro Life Campaign National Conference in the RDS

Senator Healy Eames and Terence Flanagan TD

Over 600 attend Pro Life Campaign National Conference in the RDS. Terence Flanagan TD and Senator Fidelma Healy Eames receive prolonged standing ovation from the crowd. 

The Pro Life Campaign’s National Conference took place on Saturday 12th October in the RDS, Dublin. Over 600 members of the Pro Life Campaign attended the conference along with Terence Flanagan TD and Senator Fidelma Healy Eames who were present for most of the afternoon session. They received a standing ovation lasting several minutes as a sign of appreciation for voting against the Government’s new abortion law.
Steven Ertelt, founder and editor of LifeNews.com also addressed the packed conference. He encouraged pro-life advocates to continue their work and told the conference about all of the advances in the protection of life that have happened in the US in recent years.
Full report from the Pro Life Campaign here and more photos here.

Abortion Steals our Future.

Please take a minute to watch this new video by the Pro Life Campaign and which was premiered at yesterday's National Conference. The conference itself was a great success and was the best attended ever.

One of Us.

The One of Us initiative, through collecting signatures of over 1 million EU citizens seeks to encourage the EU to establish a ban and end the financing of activities which involve destructive embryo research.
Sign the petition here.
More information can be found at www.OneofUs.eu

Pro Life campaign National Conference.

Register to attend the Pro Life Campaign National Conference on 12th October and get involved in the movement to protect mothers and babies. 

Register online here.

Irish Times has major crediblity issues after misrepresenting facts on abortion story.

The recent story by the Irish Times about an abortion that took place under the government's recent abortion bill turns out to be confusing and raises many questions about that paper's impartiality and credibility.

The Pro Life Campaign has said the recent apology from The Irish Times over its false and misleading story on abortion is “inadequate” and “raises major credibility issues” for the newspaper.

Full statement by the Pro Life Campaign here. 
Not only is the legislation not effective it seems that the manner in which they reported may have breached the privacy of the woman in question.
The bias of the Irish Times when it comes to reporting on abortion has never been in doubt.

Pro Life Campaign 'will now devote its energies to the repeal of unjust law' as President signs abortion bill into law

The Pro Life Campaign has said the passage into law today of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill “is a very sad day for our country” and “for the first time in our history makes it legal to deliberately target the life of an innocent human being.”

Caroline Simons of the Pro Life Campaign said: “Despite what the Taoiseach and others claim, the new law is life-ending, not life-saving. The Government brought forward this law in the full knowledge that abortion is not a treatment for suicidal feelings and ignored all the peer-reviewed evidence showing that abortion has adverse mental health consequences for women.

“This is a very sad day for our country. For the first time in our history, it is now legal to deliberately target the life of an innocent human being. The Pro Life Campaign will now devote its energies to the repeal of this unjust law. We will give very careful consideration in the coming weeks to the best way to bring this about.

“The pro-life movement is mobilised and growing. We have seen the biggest ever gatherings of pro-life people in recent weeks. The passage of this bill into law marks a new beginning not an end for pro-life activism. Fine Gael has broken its solemn pre-election commitment not to introduce abortion legislation. This will most definitely be remembered at the next election.”

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames speach in Seanad

Read the full text of Senator Eames' speech during the debate on the government's abortion bill.

Dáil fails to vote on government's abortion bill.

After an all night session the Dáil failed to get through all the amendments and broke after 5am. Some of our Galway for Life people were outside the Dáil all night at the silent vigil. The vigil will continue later today after the debate resumes.

Please try to get to the Silent Vigil For Life tomorrow night at the time of the vote on abortion.

Tomorrow is a very significant day for Ireland with the Dáil due to vote on the abortion Bill late tomorrow night. The Silent Vigil For Life will take place from 8-11pm outside Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street.

Galway For Life, the local branch of the Pro Life Campaign, has welcomed the vote by the majority of Galway’s TDs against the Government’s abortion bill.

From today's Galway Independent:

A spokesperson for Galway For Life said Deputy Walsh had stood by Fine Gael's 2011 General Election promise not to legislate for abortion. “Fine Gael's betrayal of its promise to the Irish people on this issue is something that will not be forgotten,” she said.

Full report here.

All Ireland Rally for Life

Don't forget the All Ireland Rally for Life tomorrow. There are still places available on buses from Galway. It starts from Parnell Square at 2PM. For bus information contact Maria at: 087 6217702.

Brian Walsh expelled from Fine Gael for keeping pro life promise.

The Second Stage of the government's abortion bill was passed yesterday. Galway West TD Brian Walsh and three of his colleagues voted against the government and were expelled from the parliamentary party as a consequence. To offer your support call his office at 091-513051.
Other Galway TDs that voted against the bill were, Éamon Ó Cuív, Noel Grealish, Michael Kitt and Colm Keaveney.

73% of people in Connacht/Ulster favour constitutional protection for unborn

Excluding 'don't knows' 73% of people in Connacht/Ulster favour constitutional protection for unborn and life-saving treatment for mothers where physical risk in accordance with current obstetric practice. The Bill currently being debated by Government goes against this by introducing abortion on grounds of threatened suicide. See statement from the Pro Life Campaign here.

Another Galway public representative vows to vote against unjust government bill.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames released a statement yesterday making it clear that she will vote

against the government's unjust abortion bill. In it she said:

I do not believe this proposal is good for women and I know that it is not good for unborn children. It is an unjust and dangerous bill permitting abortion on a threat of suicide without any sound psychiatric basis.

I believe that if this Bill is passed, it will mark the beginning of a culture change in Ireland, a normalisation of abortion in Irish society and a loss of respect for the most vulnerable and weak among us. - See more at: http://fidelmahealyeames.ie/2013/06/17/statement-by-senator-fidelma-healy-eames-on-abortion-position/#sthash.T395Z2O6.dpuf

 I do not believe this proposal is good for women and I know that it is not good for unborn children. It is an unjust and dangerous bill permitting abortion on a threat of suicide without any sound psychiatric basis.

I believe that if this Bill is passed, it will mark the beginning of a culture change in Ireland, a normalisation of abortion in Irish society and a loss of respect for the most vulnerable and weak among us.

Her statement was immediately welcomed by Cora Sherlock, spokesperson for the Pro Life Campaign.

Senator Healy Eames made it clear in her statement that while she was opposing the legislation she is fully supportive of medical interventions to save a woman’s life in pregnancy. However she also said that she could not support “a bill that will make it legal to intentionally destroy unborn human life where there isn’t a shred of medical evidence to justify it”.

Senator Healy Eames and others are taking this stance because they has looked at the evidence. It is to be hoped that this example will be followed by many other TDs and Senators before the Bill is voted on.

I do not believe this proposal is good for women and I know that it is not good for unborn children. It is an unjust and dangerous bill permitting abortion on a threat of suicide without any sound psychiatric basis.

I believe that if this Bill is passed, it will mark the beginning of a culture change in Ireland, a normalisation of abortion in Irish society and a loss of respect for the most vulnerable and weak among us. - See more at: http://fidelmahealyeames.ie/2013/06/17/statement-by-senator-fidelma-healy-eames-on-abortion-position/#sthash.T395Z2O6.dpuf

National Vigil for Life a great success.

The National Vigil for Life held yesterday was a great success with an estimated 40,000 people who turned out in Merrion Square to voice their opposition to the proposed government bill. For a more detailed statement from the Pro Life Campaign and more photos click here.

National Vigil for Life, June 8th

The Vigil for Life is TOMORROW! If you haven't already booked your bus place, here are the details of the Galway buses.

Buses from Galway City:
1. Departing Clybaun Hotel, Galway City at 10.10am
2. Menlo Park Hotel, Galway City at 10.30am
3. Renmore, Galway City 10:45am
To book a seat *on the Galway City buses* text Mary on 086 0846667 OR Luke on 087 9044174

Buses from Tuam:
Departing Tuam Cathedral at 10:30am.
Suggested donation for bus €10.
To book a seat *on a Tuam bus* text Shane 085 849 6300.

See you all there!

Galway public representatives lead opposition to abortion bill.

Noel Grealish, TD for Galway West and Colm Keaveney, for Galway East are in the news today regarding the government's abortion bill. Grealish called for a free vote allowing politicians vote according to their conscience rather than being forced to vote as their parties demanded.
Meanwhile Keaveney, who also hapens to be chairman of the Labour Party, has voiced hos opposition to the bill and has indicated that he will vote against it. In particular he voiced his opposition to the fact that there is no time limit in the bill and that babies near the viable stage could be delivered leaving them vulnerable to a range of health problems due to premature delivery.
Their voices have been added to other local representatives such as Fine Gael's Brian Walsh and Fianna Fáil's Eamon Ó Cuív who have voiced their opposition and intend to vote against the government's bill.

National Vigil for Life. June 8th. Merrion Sq.

Thousands of people are working hard to oppose the Government’s destructive abortion proposal. Thank you for playing YOUR part.

We simply must keep the effort up to stop this appalling legislation. As things stand, two psychiatrists, with an obstetrician on the sidelines, will be able to sign away the life of a child of a healthy mother. This is a travesty of good medicine.

There can be no question of pessimism on our side or resignation that all this is going to happen. We must oppose this at every step – before, during and after events in the Dáil and Seanad – and propose a positive alternative. We must never give up on the cause of human dignity.

So we urge you to do all you can to make the National Vigil for Life on 8th June a big success. This Vigil comes at the key moment with the Government producing the actual legislation. 

We must demonstrate the massive number of pro-life people in Ireland. Early June is a critical time and we need you to do everything that you can – now.Please get involved by attending yourself and also bringing as many others as possible.

Bring a carload or a busload! 

To organise a bus from your area, please telephone Denise on (087) 266 8702, Theresa on (085) 871 1100 or Maria on (085) 883 4636

You can order leaflets instantly to spread among family and friends here

For information on updates like the National Vigil For Life Facebook page and follow @natvigil4life on Twitter