This was the booklet created by Escort in 1994 and used by me (and many others) to help Irish women to travel to the UK for abortions. It was quietly distributed among activists in Ireland as while we won the right to information it was only to be dispensed by drs and counselors in a pre internet time. I had 25 of these and this is the last one, I held on to it and photocopied it many times for women who needed the information. Today it is a historical document and reminder of all those women.
Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte told thousands attending Saturday’s “Unite for Life Vigil” in Dublin he was “most concerned that this Government proposes to legislate for abortion”.
There was, he said “no issue more important than the protection of human life. There’s no point in saving the economy if a child’s right to life is compromised or forgotten”.
Introduced by Dr Eoghan de Faoite of Youth Defence as “the most successful Tyrone manager of all time, GAA hero and all- round Irish statesman”, Mr Harte continued: “our political leaders must not give in to the inclination to be pragmatic”.
During the vigil at Merrion Square, speakers disputed media reports that there were 10,000 people present and quoted gardaí as putting it at 25,000. A later statement from the Pro Life Campaign said “well over 20,000” were there.
I thought I would show you the new campaign Family & Life are rolling out. The dummies (top) I find particularly bewildering. Also, arguing in the pub about the abortion issue is always a great idea, eh?
On Saturday there will be a peaceful counter demo to the [Pro-life] “vigil” created by several groups who are bussing in people from around the country – titled “We have lives too”. All welcome.
Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (top), at the Oireachtas hearing on abortion legislation and Caroline Simons (above) on EWTN.
From Fine Gael
Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has called on Caroline Simons of the Pro Life Campaign, to clarify her involvement with the Catholic television network, EWTN, which recently broadcast the “Life Crisis in Ireland” programme on its website. “During the Health Committee hearing this week, I asked Caroline Simons from the Pro Life Campaign to clarify her involvement with the EWTN ‘Life Crisis in Ireland’ broadcast, in which the Government is described as being ‘agents of the culture of death who are attempting to have abortion legalised in Ireland’. Contributors to this series are acknowledged on the EWTN website. The acknowledgements include a ‘Caroline Simons’. “I found this broadcast quite disturbing in the language used and I asked Caroline Simons during the Health Committee hearing this week if she had indeed contributed to this video as mentioned on the website. In response, Simons said that she ‘didn’t know anything about it.’ “Her response contradicts what is stated on the website, so I am today calling on Caroline Simons to clarify whether she is indeed involved in this broadcast or not.”
Yesterday, Caroline Simons stated in the Seanad that she was unaware of the American Christian TV channel, EWTN despite her appearance in a fund-raising Irish pro-life video made for the station.
Now it has emerged she appeared on an hour-long edition of ‘Sunday Night Prime’ on EWTN at the end of April 2012.
She questioned the timing of the appearance of four women who went to England for terminations and who later visited the Oireachtas to share their stories with TDs and senators.
She told EWTN viewers:
“This extraordinary situation where four people came out at the same time, you know, who had been told in very unusual circumstances that their babies were not going to live for long. One of them had been to England six weeks beforehand only, to have a termination.
The fact that they came out was unusual and the timing of their coming out when a bill was before the Government was unusual. And partly, it came from the fact our leading newspaper of record had had two articles over the previous month of women telling their abortion stories and these four women had contacted this journalist and had told their stories and then decided to make it public. They got huge publicity, huge publicity. Our most watched prime time television programme last Friday night is called the Late Late Show. Those four women, I think maybe three of them were on last week, there was nobody on to counter what they had to say.”
From yesterday’s hearing of the Joint Committee On Health and Children.
Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: “Do the witnesses agree that there is a difference between guidelines and regulations and, if so, do they accept that guidelines do not have the force of law and could be legally challenged? Do those who are present who were recorded on the EWTN television channel agree with its statement that agents of the culture of death are attempting to have abortion legalised in this country and also that the Government is currently legalising abortion in Ireland under the guise of exceptional cases?”
Caroline Simons: “On the questions, I will deal with two together. We were asked whether we are lobbying politicians. We are not here to lobby politicians. We are here to answer questions to the best of our ability. I cannot help on the question of EWTN.”
Later
Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: “ITo clarify the EWTN comment I made earlier, I wish to advise Ms Simons that she ought to take a look at it. Not only is she on it, there is a comment on the end of it thanking her for contributing to the “Life Crisis in Ireland” programme. I believe my question is relevant in regard to whether there is an agreement that agents of the culture of death are attempting to have abortion legalised in this country. I believe it is a very valid question.”
Senator Jim Walsh: “Would the witnesses agree or disagree with me that protection for the unborn is the real human rights issue of our day?”
ChairmanJerry Buttimer: I would ask respondents to be very brief.
Caroline Simons: “I was not aware I was on EWTN. I do not know any agents of the culture of death, I hope. Certainly, they have not identified themselves as such to me. That is not to say I do not believe that there are interests within and outside Ireland who are trying to influence the debate here who would favour the legislation of widespread abortion.”
