THE PRO-LIFE Campaign have said it has no plans to protest outside hospitals or GP services that provide abortion services, at an ‘awareness’ event outside Leinster House today.
Members of the group at the event were displaying signs that stated it will ‘fight on until the right to life is once again protected in law.’
The legislation that makes abortion services legal in Ireland was signed into law at the end of December by President Michael D Higgins after passing through all stages of the Oireachtas, and came into place yesterday, 1 January.
Luke Silke, spokesperson for the Pro-Life Campaign, said their focus will be on highlighting the content of the abortion bill and helping women in vulnerable situations by offering alternatives to abortion.
“It will be our generation that will change this law and will enshrine in law once again protection of the most vulnerable among us, that is the unborn child,” Silke said at the event.
The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act allows for terminations of pregnancy of up to 12 weeks, also providing for terminations where there is a risk to the life or a serious risk to the health of the pregnant woman.
Silke says he doesn’t believe the public were “actually aware of the extremity of this act” and he says the Pro-Life campaign will be active in the media to highlight the act’s details.
“Personally I’m shocked to see that the adoption and information tracing bill has been at a standstill in the Dáil,” he said. “Abortion seems to be the priority while the adoption bill seems to be sidelined.”
Silke said, “I do think it’s a very tragic day for Ireland.”
Ireland voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment – which gave equal status to the life of the mother and the life of the unborn – in May of last year.
The country voted by 66.4% to 33.6% to remove the amendment, with over two million votes cast.
Abortion services are due to begin operating this month.
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