The Loss of Even One Baby's Life is an Immense Tragedy, says PLC

The PLC was commenting on figures released today by Health Minister Leo Varadkar showing that 26 abortions took place in 2014 under Ireland’s new abortion law, saying that the loss of even one child’s life from abortion is an immense human tragedy. 
Commenting on the release of the figures, PLC Deputy Chairperson, Cora Sherlock said: “The Government and Minister Varadkar are fully aware that abortion is not a treatment for suicidal feelings. Yet they pressed ahead with legislation in 2013 providing for abortion on this ground, ignoring the expert evidence from two sets of Oireachtas hearings which showed that, far from being a medical treatment, abortion in the case of threatened suicide can have long term negative consequences for women. The loss of even one baby’s life from abortion is an immense tragedy. It is a very sad fact that the Government’s legislation in 2013 is directly responsible for the loss of life in the cases where three babies had their lives ended under the ‘threat of suicide’ ground for abortion."
 “It is difficult to determine from the information made available today whether the deaths of the other 23 babies under the new Act resulted from induced abortion that directly targeted their lives or whether some or all of them resulted from necessary medical interventions in pregnancy to save the life of the mother where every reasonable effort was also made to save the life of the unborn child.”

Ms Sherlock continued:  “Under the new legislation the Government deliberately blurred the distinction between necessary medical interventions and induced abortion. But what is not at issue is that three babies under the new abortion Act had their lived ended without a shred of medical evidence to suggest abortion on this ground would safeguard the life of the mother. Pro-life groups never claimed that the new law would lead to abortion on demand overnight. We stand by the claim we made in 2013 that over time the new law, unless it is repealed, will normalize the practice of abortion in Ireland and undermine the dignity and inherent value of every human life.”

Court Date Set after a Dublin Woman Dies after an Abortion

The Pro Life Campaign has criticised today the continuing refusal of the Government to comment on the latest scandal where a woman from Dublin bled to death following an abortion in a Marie Stopes clinic in London in 2012.

Commenting on the news that a court date of July 3rd has been fixed for the doctor and two nurses charged with manslaughter in the case, Cora Sherlock, Deputy Chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign, said:

“The continued silence from various members of the Government is very revealing about how the issue of abortion is dealt with in this country.  There has been no attempt whatsoever to address the fact that this unfortunate woman lost her life as a direct result of the treatment she received when undergoing an abortion. It seems that the loss of this woman’s life doesn’t merit attention simply because it doesn’t suit the agenda of abortion advocates.”

“Even though more of the facts of this case have now become available, there has still been no reaction from those members of the Government who are most vocal when it comes to attempts to further liberalise Ireland’s abortion laws.  Where is their outrage for the welfare of this woman, who fell prey to the falsehood of a “safe, legal abortion”? The Government ignoring this woman’s death is absolutely shameful.”

Read more here

Note: The doctor and two nurses charged with manslaughter, Dr. Adedayo Adedeji, Gemma Pullen and Margaret Miller will now go forward for trial at London’s Old Bailey on July 3rd

Amnesty International Has Abandoned Those Most In Need Of Human Rights Protection Says PLC

“Amnesty has become a de facto campaigning group for abortion and can no longer act as an unbiased and impartial defender of human rights” -Sherlock

Watch the new video about Amnesty’s focus on abortion above genuine human rights abuses above

To read more about this topic, click here

"Where is the Political Outrage over Death of Woman from Ireland after Abortion in Marie Stopes Clinic?"

Deputy Chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign asks "where is the plitical outrage over the death of a woman from Ireland after she had an abortion in a Marie Stopes Clinic in London?"  as the silence of Government politicians over latest case highlights the colossal double standard in the abortion debate.

The Pro Life Campaign has accused members of the Government of “selective outrage” on the issue of abortion. It follows news that a doctor and two nurses in England have been charged with manslaughter after a woman from Ireland bled to death in the back of a London taxi within hours of undergoing an abortion at a Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, London.

Commenting on the tragic case,  Ms Sherlock said: “It’s very revealing the way members of the Government have fallen silent over this latest Marie Stopes scandal. It lays bare the colossal double standards at the heart of the abortion debate in Ireland.

“The tragic death of Savita Halappanavar was misused, massively and continuously by certain politicians and journalists to get abortion legislation over the line in 2013. There was little or no regard at the time for the facts of that particular case which showed the real cause of the tragedy in Galway was mismanaged sepsis, not the non-availability of abortion in Ireland at the time.

To read more, click here

"True Equality Means Accepting All Members Of Society, Born And Unborn"

The Pro Life Campaign has strongly criticised the attempts by abortion advocates to push for a repeal of the 8th Amendment in the aftermath of the recent marriage referendum in Ireland. 

Deputy Chairperson Cora Sherlock commented:

“It is deeply hypocritical of politicians to celebrate equality and in the next breath to claim that this translates to a mandate to hold a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment.”

“The 8th Amendment guarantees the equality of the unborn, who are a distinct group of human beings in Irish society.  Any attempt to remove it would lead to a less inclusive, less fair society.  This is not what the Irish people want.”

“It is extremely disturbing that some politicians are trying to exploit the experiences of families of babies with life-limiting conditions in order to try and promote a referendum on abortion.  There has been no sincere effort to improve perinatal palliative care facilities for these families, despite the fact that the Irish Medical Organisation and others have called for better supports for families in these difficult situations.”

She concluded:

“True equality means recognising and valuing all members of society, including babies with life-limiting conditions.  Advocating abortion in these circumstances is the worst form of discrimination and should be roundly condemned.”

Read More On This: PRO LIFE CAMPAIGN REJECTS CALLS FOR REPEAL OF 8TH AMENDMENT

Invitation to Pro Life Campaign National Seminar 2012

We are at a critical time now with significant pressure from elements within the Government to introduce abortion. Join us on Saturday, 22nd September from 11.30 - 2pm to hear top-class speakers promote the pro-life message and engage and activate pro-life advocates all over Ireland. 

This event presents a great opportunity for pro-life people to meet, get motivated and get active.  Speakers include Matt Mooney, father of Eliot Hartman Mooney of 99 Balloons YouTube fame, Professor William Binchy, Professor Patricia Casey, Dr. Berry Kiely, Caroline Simons and others.

Get more information and register instantly here

Caroline Simons on TV3's Tonight with Vincent Browne programme

Our Legal Consultant, Caroline Simons featured as a panellist on TV3's Vincent Browne programme on Tuesday night where she ably argued why Ireland must continue to protect the unborn. You can view the programme by clicking the below image

Professor William Binchy's article in Irish Times

Our Legal Adviser, Professor William Binchy had an excellent article in yesterday's Irish Times challenging an analysis from earlier in the week from columnist Fintan O'Toole.

You can access the article on the Irish Times' website here

We are closer to abortion than ever before

We are genuinely closer to abortion than ever before.  The situation could not be more critical.  If you haven’t already signed the updated ready-to-go E-Card to your local Oireachtas Members, please take one minute to do so now and encourage others to do likewise.

You can send your instant message by clicking here

Pro Life Campaign says new HSE appointment sends the wrong message on abortion

The Minister for Health James Reilly today appointed Mr Tony O’Brien as the new Director General of the HSE.  Mr O'Brien was previously the Chief Executive of the Irish Family Planning Association and a leading campaigner for abortion in Ireland.

Commenting on the Minister for Health’s latest appointment, Pro Life Campaign spokesperson, Cora Sherlock said:

“Ever since the Clare Daly Bill on abortion, Minister Reilly has been effectively relying on the speaking notes of the pro-abortion movement rather than defending Fine Gael’s pre-election pro-life commitments.

“Now he has appointed someone as Director General of the HSE who has spent most of his career campaigning for abortion on demand in Ireland. The political message sent by this appointment is unmistakable. Whether it’s the issue or the optics, clearly Minister Reilly doesn’t get it.

“Of more concern, however, to pro-life supporters is the manner in which the Expert Group process initiated by the Minister is descending into farce.

“Both Minister Reilly and Minister of State Kathleen Lynch have already made public statements pre-empting its findings and it will come as no surprise if it reports back with a narrow list of options all advocating abortion. If this happens, it will have nothing to do with women’s health or the right to life and everything to do with politics.”

Martin statement re abortion legislation "timely and welcome" say Pro Life Campaign

Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin's made comments the other day, in which he said that legislation to allow abortion along the lines of the X case would effectively lead to abortion on demand "are timely and welcome", the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) have said.

In a statement, PLC spokesperson Dr Ruth Cullen said that Mr Martin's remarks "acknowledged the reality of what an Irish abortion regime would look like after legislation".

Dr Cullen said: "The past week has been heartening for those who still believe that when political parties make promises, they should stick by them.

"Last week we saw a significant number of Fine Gael TDs and Senators remind their party leadership of their election pledge to stand up for unborn human life. Today we saw Michéal Martin reaffirm his party's commitment to the same principle: that human life must be protected at all stages. Both developments were timely and welcome.

"At a time when Labour politicians are trying to bully the Government into believing the myth that the European court judgement in the  A,B and C v Ireland case obliges Ireland to legalise abortion, we welcome the clarity which both Mr Martin's comments, and the stance taken by backbench Fine Gael TDs, have brought to the debate.

"Mr Martin's statement, that legislation to provide for abortion along the lines of the X case would create "an open-door situation" which would be "very difficult to hold back" acknowledged the reality of what an Irish abortion regime would look like after legislation.

Dr Cullen also welcomed Mr Martin's acknowledgement that current Irish medical practice was about protecting both mother and child.

"Pro-abortion advocates and politicians have repeatedly attempted to obscure the fact that Ireland boasts world class medical care for pregnant women. In this context, Mr Martin's recognition that Irish doctors do everything they can "to preserve the life of the unborn and preserve the life of the mother" is very welcome.

"Ireland has consistently shown itself to be the safest place in the world to give birth in, and international statistics confirm this."

Baseless accusations of “cowardice” harm rational debate on abortion says Pro Life Campaign

The backing of 15 or more Fine Gael TDs and Senators for the party's election pledge to oppose abortion legislation has been described as “a welcome move to support human life and protect women's health,” by the Pro Life Campaign.

In a statement, spokesperson Dr Ruth Cullen said that the strong opposition expressed at the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party “showed that there were still politicians for whom election promises meant something.”

Responding to suggestions from members of the Labour Party that Fine Gael TDs opposed to abortion legislation are guilty of “cowardice”, Dr Cullen said: “It is sad that those on the so-called pro-choice side of the abortion debate are unwilling to allow politicians the choice of opposing abortion on principle. This attitude does nothing to help a calm and rational debate.

“The fact that many politicians remain opposed to abortion shows their commitment to retaining Ireland's pro-life culture and its pro-woman medical practices. It also shows that they are paying attention to the growing body of evidence highlighting the negative effects of abortion on women.

“There was every justification for the criticism of James Reilly’s handling of the issue by his parliamentary party colleagues. The Minister has repeatedly misrepresented the European Court of Human Rights judgement in A, B and C v. Ireland by stating that Ireland was obliged to legislate for abortion on foot of this ruling. He has also given the impression that he expects a very narrow list of options from the Expert Group, all leading to abortion. This is totally unacceptable not least because the X case decision on which any legislation would be based  heard no medical evidence and set no time limits for when an abortion could take place. This would de facto amount to abortion on demand.

“It is remarkable that the legalisation of abortion continues to be portrayed by some as the only 'progressive' and 'courageous' option, when that option entails the killing of an utterly innocent human life.”

Pro Life Campaign challenges Minister Lynch over remarks on abortion

The Pro Life Campaign has challenged the Minister of State at the Department for Health Kathleen Lynch over her remarks today on RTÉ’s This Week programme where she stated that she did not think the Government "had a choice" but to legislate for abortion if the Expert Group, having looked at the issue, recommends abortion legislation.

Commenting on Minister Lynch’s remarks, Dr. Ruth Cullen of the Pro Life Campaign said:

"The Expert Group is tasked with producing a wide range of options for consideration by the Government and is not meant to recommend one particular course of action.   If the Expert Group reports with a narrow list of options, all leading to abortion, it will be not be based on medicine or law but politics.  

"The European court judgment in A, B and C v Ireland did not compel Ireland to introduce abortion.  It sought clarity in the law in this area which is an entirely different matter.  Those seeking to introduce abortion in Ireland are intentionally distorting this fact while ignoring another important fact, namely, that Ireland, without abortion, is the safest place in the world for pregnant women." 

PLC launches new Billboard Campaign

A billboard campaign highlighting the results of a recent Millward Brown Lansdowne opinion poll which found that a large majority of the Irish public believe Fine Gael should keep the pro-life commitment it made prior to the General Election has been launched by the Pro Life Campaign.

Read more and download the poll findings on Pro Life Campaign's website 

Peri-natal hospice care raised in Seanad following important briefing

The issue of peri-natal hospice care (care of mothers and babies where the unborn child has a life-shortening or limiting abnormality diagnosed in utero) was raised in the Seanad earlier this week following a briefing to politicians from a number of parents of children who either died shortly after birth or are living with a serious disability. 

The briefing was co-hosted by Senators Rónán Mullen, Darragh O' Brien, Mary-Ann O'Brien and TDs Regina Doherty and Arthur Spring. It was attended by almost 60 members of the Dáil and Seanad.   In a very moving and thought provoking session, the families present shared their personal experiences of the births and (sometimes short) lives of their children.

Following the briefing, during the Order of Business in the Seanad, several senators including Senator Mary-Ann O’Brien praised the courage of the parents who spoke. She said: “I wish everyone had been there this morning to hear how fragile life is and that we are here to respect human beings. There was great sadness but great dignity portrayed this morning by those wonderful parents.” Other senators called for a debate in the Seanad on the need for better peri-natal hospice care facilities in Ireland. 

Congratulations to Senator Mullen and his Oireachtas colleagues for hosting such an important and extremely well attended briefing.

Click here to watch a video on peri-natal hospice care which was shown to politicians at this week's briefing

PLC strongly critical of Fine Gael response on abortion

The Pro Life Campaign has accused Fine Gael of resorting to ‘spin’ in an attempt to fend off criticism of Minister for Health, James Reilly’s statement that Ireland ‘must’ introduce an abortion regime. 

In an email to its TDs and Senators, the Fine Gael press office described last week’s media reports on the Minister for Health as “fundamentally flawed and substantially incorrect.” However, the press office refused to be drawn on where precisely the reports in question were inaccurate.   

In response, the Pro Life Campaign said there “was nothing flawed or incorrect in the newspaper reports. The Minister for Health's statement that abortion ‘must’ be introduced in Ireland was as clear as day.” 

Read more on Pro Life Campaign's website

Pro Life Campaign says Fine Gael need to face up to commitments rather than resorting to spin

The Pro Life Campaign has described as “disgraceful” the fact that Minister for Health James Reilly has begun replying to members of the public that Ireland "must" bring in abortion along the lines of the controversial 'X Case' decision and says this “turns the entire Expert Group on abortion process into a farce.”

In correspondence to fellow TDs and members of the public, Minister Reilly makes it clear that following on from the decision in A, B and C v. Ireland by the European Court of Human Rights, Ireland “must put in place a legislative or regulatory regime providing effective and accessible procedures whereby pregnant women can establish whether or not they are entitled to a lawful abortion in accordance with Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court in the X case.”

Minister Reilly hinted at such an approach during the recent Clare Daly Bill on Abortion in the Dáil but just recently he has become starkly explicit about his plans.

Following the publication of this fact in the Irish Catholic Newspaper last week, the Fine Gael press office, in an e-mail to its TDs and Senators, described the newspaper report on the issue as “fundamentally flawed and substantially incorrect”.   However, the Pro Life Campaign this week insisted there “was nothing flawed or incorrect in the report.  Minister Reilly’s statement that abortion “must” be introduced in Ireland was as clear as day.”

Dr Ruth Cullen said that Dr Reilly’s comments remain “an extremely worrying development that throws into doubt whether Fine Gael will stand over, or betray, its solemn written commitment to the electorate not to bring in abortion.

“Senior members of Fine Gael need to take responsibility for a process that is fast derailing into a public farce with a Fine Gael Minister now publicly touting as official policy that Ireland “must” bring in abortion.

“Fine Gael needs to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and not try and spin its way out of controversy. As things stand, Minister Reilly has primed the expert group to report back with a narrow list of options, all leading to abortion.”

“This is an outrage given Ireland’s outstanding record in caring for mothers and babies in pregnancy without recourse to abortion,” Dr Cullen said.

It is increasingly clear that the Expert Group process is not about protecting women’s lives but about bringing in abortion. If this is proven correct, the Pro Life Campaign will mount an even more vigorous campaign to ensure that abortion is not brought in under any guise including the one describing it as a ‘medical treatment.’

And it will ensure that every Fine Gael voter the length and breadth of the country is fully informed of any shift in party policy away from its pre-election pro-life commitments.

Public wants Fine Gael to honour its pro-life commitments Pro Life Campaign calls on Minister for Health to clarify Fine Gael’s stance on abortion following Dáil speech

The Pro Life Campaign today released the latest Millward Brown Lansdowne polling research on life issues which shows strong public backing for the pro-life commitments made by Fine Gael prior to the general election in 2011. The research also reveals significant public support for current medical practice in Ireland where there is a duty of care towards the baby when intervening in pregnancy to save the mother’s life.

The research was carried out on a quota controlled sample of 979 people aged 18+ between 2nd – 15th May 2012.

The first question reads:

Just prior to polling day in the 2011 General Election, Fine Gael said it was opposed to the legalisation of abortion and experimentation on human embryos. It said that Fine Gael’s representatives would bring to the proposed all-party committee a clear commitment that women in pregnancy will receive whatever treatments are necessary to safeguard their lives, and the duty of care to preserve the life of the baby will also be upheld.  Would you agree or disagree with this commitment?

Overall, of those who expressed an opinion, 80% agreed with the commitment and 20% disagreed.  In Connacht/Ulster which includes the Taoiseach’s constituency of Mayo, 87% agreed and only 13% disagreed.

The second question was worded as follows:

Current medical practice in Ireland does not allow the deliberate killing of the unborn baby.  In a crisis pregnancy situation, the doctor has a duty of care towards the baby when intervening to save the mother’s life.  Do you consider that this ethical practice should be protected by law?

78% of those who expressed an opinion said it should and 22% disagreed.  There was majority support in all ages, social classes and regions.

Commenting on the poll findings, Dr Berry Kiely of the Pro Life Campaign said: “When the ethical distinction between induced abortion and necessary medical interventions in pregnancy is clarified in polling questions, the true strength of public opposition to abortion is revealed. The latest poll findings bear this out and are immensely reassuring from a pro-life perspective.”

Referring to the speech by Minister for Health, James Reilly in the Dáil during the recent Private Members’ Bill on abortion, Dr Kiely said,  “The Minister for Health’s speech alarmed pro-life supporters and he has a responsibility to clarify his position and that of Fine Gael”.

In his speech Minister Reilly said that the previous six governments had failed to legislate for the X Case decision but that the present Government “will not be the seventh.”

In response to this, Dr Kiely said, “It is clear from the Minister’s remarks that he does not expect the “Expert Group” on abortion to list as one of its options ways of complying with the European Court of Human Rights decision in A, B and C v. Ireland, that afford legal protection to both mother and baby in pregnancy. This completely undermines Fine Gael’s solemn pre-election commitment opposing abortion legislation and pledging that “women in pregnancy will receive whatever treatments are necessary to safeguard their lives and the duty of care to preserve the life of the baby will also be upheld.

“Legislation based on the X Case would amount to abortion on demand as the judges heard no medical evidence and set no time limits for when an abortion could take place. In addition the recent European court decision in A, B and C v. Ireland does not oblige us to introduce an abortion regime.

“Instead of repeating pro-abortion claims, the Minister for Health needs to acknowledge that Ireland, without abortion, is the safest country in the world for pregnant women as recognised by the UN and World Health Organisation. The Minister also needs to clarify Fine Gael’s stance on abortion in light of his recent speech in the Dáil”, Dr Kiely concluded.

PLC welcomes fall in abortion rates for tenth consecutive year. While abortion rates fall, rate of women regretting abortions rise

The Pro Life Campaign has welcomed the latest Irish abortion figures released on the 29th of May 2012, by the British Department of Health,* which show that the number of Irish women travelling to Britain for abortions has decreased for the tenth consecutive year.


In 2011, 4,149 Irish women travelled to Britain for abortions, down from 4,402 in 2010 and 4,422 in 2009.  The 2011 figures show a marked decrease over previous years.  2011 is the tenth consecutive year that Irish abortions have declined and represents a 38% decline since the high of 6,673 Irish abortions in 2001.


The release of these figures follows the recent report ** from the HSE/Crisis Pregnancy Programme showing an increase in the number of women expressing abortion regret.  In that study, 44 per cent of women expressed varying degrees of regret about their abortions up from 33 per cent in a similar HSE study in 2003.


In a statement welcoming the continuing reduction in the number of Irish women travelling to Britain for abortion, Cora Sherlock of the Pro Life Campaign said:


“While it is too early to draw firm conclusions, the fact that the abortion figures are decreasing while the number of women expressing regret after abortion is increasing, shows the need for a much closer examination of women’s experiences of abortion, including abortion regret."


She said: “There has been a refusal on the part of those campaigning for abortion in Ireland to take on board the research indicating the negative consequences of abortion for women. This does a tremendous disservice to women. The claims by some groups that the reduced figures can be explained by the fact that women are travelling to other countries is not backed by the evidence."

 *Summary Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2011 (29/05/12)  ** Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Study 2010 (ICCP 2010), published in May 2012 (HSE/CPP)

Study showing regret after abortion must be considered by the Minister For Health says Pro Life Campaign

A comprehensive study showing that 44 per cent of women expressed varying degrees of regret about their abortions “must be urgently considered by the Minister for Health”, the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has said.

They were responding to the Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Study 2010 (ICCP 2010), produced by the HSE's Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPP).

The study showed that 31pc of women who had abortion experienced "some regrets", with 13pc reporting that they experienced “a lot of regrets”. This represents an increase from 2003, when 22pc reported experiencing some regret, with 11pc saying they had a lot of regrets.

Spokesperson for the PLC, Dr Ruth Cullen, said the figures showed that the abortion debate “needed to make room for the voices of the increasing number of women who regret their abortion”.

She said: "While there has been considerable media focus on the stories of women who wished to see abortion legal in Ireland, the same cannot be said for the stories of women who regret their abortions. This has to change.

She said: “Even organisations like the National Women's Council of Ireland, which are supposed to represent all women, dismiss organisations that seek to express the pain of women hurt by abortion.

Dr Cullen also said that Minister James Reilly needs to take into account the experiences of women who regretted their abortion and ensure that counselling services also acknowledge this reality.

She expressed surprise that the CPP had not conducted research into the mental health impact of abortion, given the fact that there were now a number of studies showing that abortion presented a considerable risk to the mental health of women.

Dr. Cullen said: “A number of peer reviewed studies have now shown that women who have abortions are up to 30pc more likely to experience subsequent mental health problems. This is even after those studies controlled for women with pre-existing mental health conditions.

“One might have expected a comprehensive study on crisis pregnancy to have examined this area.”

Dr Cullen also noted that the study's findings on attitudes to abortion were compromised by the question asked.

According to the survey, 45 per cent of adults believed abortion should be permissible in all circumstances, down from over 50 per cent in a similar study in 2003. And 44 per cent said it should be available under certain circumstances, up from 39 per cent in 2003.

However, Dr Cullen said, the survey's question relating to abortion when there is a risk to the woman's life “failed to make the distinction between medical interventions in pregnancy to save the mother's life and induced abortion, the sole aim of which is to end the life of the baby.

She said that this shortcoming in the research made the findings on attitudes to abortion “effectively irrelevant”.