“Bring On The Referendum”

This is all we need.

“There is deep-seated opposition to abortion in Ireland,” said Niamh Ui Bhriain (above) of the Life Institute. “If pro-abortion campaigners believe that Irish people are behind a move to legalize abortion, bring on the referendum.”

There has long been a concern that joining the European Union would eventually lead to more liberal abortion legislation. When Ireland signed the Maastricht Treaty in 1991, it inserted a clause to safeguard Irish abortion laws from E.U. interference.

For anti-abortion groups, the European human rights court ruling has confirmed their fears, particularly when the country as a whole is beholden to international financial help to keep afloat.

“At this time, when the E.U. and I.M.F. are actually running our country and we have lost every bit of sovereignty, the last thing people want is an outside agency making an intrusive judgement,” said Ms. Bhriain. “What we are seeing here is abortion campaigners using external courts in a bid to have abortion imposed on Irish people. If our laws make us different from everyone else in the European Union, I am glad of that difference.”

 

Irish Poised to Revisit Abortion Law (Carol Ryan, New York Times)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)


58 thoughts on ““Bring On The Referendum””

  3. Oh boy, these old shrillsters again – I too say bring on the referendum, which will almost certainly relax abortion restrictions in this country, and no bad thing either. I suspect the quoted parties know this, but are feigning being unperturbed by this.

    For anyone who’s interested, there is an Action on X meeting in the Gresham tonight at 7, with speakers including Vincent Browne. I’ve included some info on the X-case in my website link above..

  4. The EU court said that ireland failed to implement what THE IRISH COURT said was necessary. Good god

  5. Not sure what you mean by the ‘this is all we need’ comment? Maybe I’m just being slow…

    • Yup, it’s a Nic Mhathuna indeed.

      Someone should set her up with Senator Ronan Mullen. She seems so his type.

      P.

      • Well, see, that’d be fine, except that Niamh is married, and so engaging in wife/husband swopping probably wouldn’t be her thing.

        Also I’m not sure about her taking it up the wrong ‘un….

        • ” taking it up the wrong ‘un….”

          You mean she would misunderstand what Ronan Mullen says?

          P.

  8. True tho. While 99.98% of Broadsheet.ie commenters might approve of a bit of feticide, most Irish people do not.

  10. In truth, every year that passes without a referendum, the surer we’ll be that when it happens it’ll pass. No wonder the woman is bolshy; her value system is falling all around her.

    • Yes, to legislate for the X case (as per the ECHR ruling, the assist a doctor in determining when it is legal to prescribe an abortion). But any liberalisation of access to abortion would require a referendum.

  12. “Life institute” has the same address in Dublin as those Youth Defence knob wipes. Same mob of mouth breathing inbred hill billies.

    • Amen. I respect their right to an opinion, but I LOATHE the shit they make up. LIke

      –>Abortion causes cancer
      –>Abortion causes depression
      –>Abortion causes infertility

      All WRONG yet YDI keep sprouting this nonsense. It’s only been legal to give info on abortion since 1992. Madness.

      • “–>Abortion causes cancer
        –>Abortion causes depression
        –>Abortion causes infertility”
        Like, everything, it’s fine if done in moderation.

    • as a liberal secular pro-choice mucksavage I take offence with this comment – most of the serious anti-abortion campaigners in this fair isle are from the well healed suburbs of the big smoke, where opus dei is pronounced ‘owpus die’

  13. “Pro-abortion”?
    I’m not “pro-abortion”, I don’t think anybody is, but I am pro-choice.

    It’s not for me (or anybody else) to dictate this sort of thing to anybody else.

    • I would concur, there is a big difference between pro-abortion and pro-choice. It always seems to me that the anti-abortion contingent just don’t seem to get that. If you are not with us …

      • They probably feel that you don’t get it, that the foetus doesn’t have a choice. It is a waste of time, all this ‘pro-life’, ‘pro-choice’ semantics.

        I am pro-abortion.

        • I get the fact the the pregnant woman should have a choice. It’s not up to someone else to tell them what to do. Pro-choice not anit-choice or pro-abortion, call it whatever you like but the distinction is important IMO.

    • +1 I’m not pro-abortion, I’m anti-life. I am also anti-choice. Abortion should be mandatory.

  14. I always thought that abortion should be legalised in this country, freedom of access etc. However, I am pregnant now, and I had a scan at 10weeks, and could see the foetus’ arms and legs waving around and a clear heartbeat. That isn’t a bunch of cells, that’s a life. Suddenly, prochoice isn’t so black and white for me. So my viewpoint is kind of changing, though I do think it should be allowed in this country under certain circumstances, such as rape.

    • You should have the right to change your view,that’s what it is surely to be pro-choice.You also have the right to educate people based on your own opinion and experience,they will decide for themselves.Pro choice should be sacrosanct

      • Yea once the hormones kick in and all that but lets not all pretend that in this day and age that we’re ‘precious’ when it comes to lives either. If we want to go down the ‘but it’s a life and all things alive must be protected’ argument, we’ll be here all day. Women deserve the right to choose may they be a rape victim, destitute, a drug addict, too young or just not ready. Saying that they also need to be educated on the choices and counselled accordingly.

    • You are either pro-choice or no choice

      “I do think it should be allowed in this country under certain circumstances, such as rape.”

      If you feel that rape allows for an abortion whereas in other circumstances you feel abortion should be legal then your statement “That isn’t a bunch of cells, that’s a life. ” is complete crap as you are calling for a choice. It’s either a life or it isn’t! make up your mind.

      If you take the stance that its a life, you don’t get to pick and choose when it lives and when it does not.If you take the stance its a choice, you don’t get to make another woman’s decision.

      You are either pro-choice or no-choice

    • Yes, by giving the impression that they EU and the ECHR are the same thing. But the NYT is pretty careless in making the distinction.

  17. My Dad campaigned against abortion in the last referendum. I thought it was cool driving around in the car with him with loud speakers and stickers on it.

    How naive and brainwashed I was.

  19. Does anyone have a link to photo/video of her mum’s classic “wife swapping sodomites” moment in the RDS? I can’t believe this moment has been lost like *swallows* tears… in the… rain.

    P.

  20. I’m pro-choice. And I have never campaigned on a political issue, but I would take to the streets in favour of the legalisation, such is the hate that Niamh Ui Bhrian raises in me.

  22. I spoke with 2 Irish girls separately who had to ‘get the boat’ and were both shocked at a few uk girls who were on 4th and 5th abortions. If access was easier how could legislation stop some people coming to the conclusion that it’s no big deal?

    • I undersand your unease, but whether people think abortion is a big deal is their own business, not the state’s.

      I don’t think legislation can really work to change people’s morals. If it did your two friends wouldn’t have been on the boat.

      • I was talking to this girl and her friends mam’s aunty had like FIVE abortions and used a DIY kit from the internet…c’mon now with the tales.

    • If the propaganda on the morning after pill that youth defense pushes is to be believed everyone’s likely having abortion a couple of times a year