Abortion debate divisive

Abortion debate heats up in Mayo


Under-fire Kenny resolute on divisive issue

Áine Ryan

THE anti-abortion campaign has upped the ante against An Taoiseach Enda Kenny with protests over the weekend including one at a small school in Parke, where he officiated at 50th anniversary celebrations last Friday. Despite a daily barrage of abuse – that includes letters dubbing him a ‘murderer’ with ‘blood on his hands’ and threats of ‘excommunication’ – Mr Kenny remains resolute about the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, to be introduced in the DΡil on Thursday.  
His spokesman, Cllr Ger Deere told The Mayo News last night that his boss was always ‘resilient’ and absolutely respected the right of people to peacefully protest.
“Enda understands and respects people who are genuinely expressing their concerns about this legislation and totally accepts that protests outside the constituency office are part of political life. However, last Friday’s protest at a small school community event, where inappropriate placards of foetuses, as well as comments, were made in front of children, is not acceptable,” Cllr Deere said. He confirmed he had also been the recipient of ‘nasty’ communications.
Cllr Deere confirmed a protest did take place at Mr Kenny’s home on Sunday evening when the Taoiseach was not at home. However, his wife Fionnuala and their eldest son, Ferdia, were there when 15 masked protestors picketed the house. The Mayo News understands that the group were not pro-life activists but were a group campaigning for the rights of single fathers. Indeed the heightening sensitivity about the impending legislation, and its political reverberations, can be gauged by the silence and unavailability of many DΡil deputies who are normally available to answer Mayo News calls.
While The Mayo News failed last night to contact two Mayo TDs, Michelle Mulherin and John O’Mahony, who are understood to have reservations about the legislation, it can be confirmed that Fianna FΡil’s Deputy Dara Calleary told a Comhairle Cheanntair meeting in Claremorris on Saturday night that he was ‘not comfortable’ with the legislation.  
Deputy Calleary is in the fortunate position though that his party leader has allowed Oireachtas members to follow their consciences by facilitating a free vote on the Bill, which comes 21 years after the X-case.

Conscience clause
SPEAKING last night, Father Frank Fahey, of Ballintubber Abbey, said he believed the exclusion of a conscience clause was fundamentally wrong and, moreover, that the suicide criterion had a faulty basis. He also revealed that since the details of the Bill had been published, many of his parishioners were expressing ‘concerns’ about the legislation.
“One of the difficulties is there is no criterion for judging whether a person is truly suicidal. I say this from my experience as a priest and can confirm this is an issue that a lot of people are concerned about. I also strongly believe that following one’s conscience is fundamental to any democracy. TDs must not be forced to vote in a particular way if they believe such legislation is absolutely wrong,” Father Fahey said. He added that medical practitioners must also be allowed follow their consciences.  
Meanwhile, his diocesan colleague, well-known author Fr PΡdraig Standún, has paid tribute to the Taoiseach for his stance on the abortion legislation.
Now based in the Connemara gaeltacht parish of Carna, Fr Standún ministered for many years in Tourmakeady. Speaking at a book launch at the weekend, he said the criticism levelled by the Catholic hierarchy at Mr Kenny and his Government was a ‘classic confrontation between the idealist and the realist’.
Father Standún said that last week’s Irish Times/ Ipsos MRBI poll had proven that the government was reflecting the views of the people. He also said that he admired Mr Kenny’s contention in the DΡil that he was a public representative ‘who happens to be a Catholic but not a Catholic Taoiseach’. This, he said, was in contrast to the days when politicians were ‘Catholic Ministers and not Ministers who happened to be Catholic’.

Archbishop’s concerns
ON the other hand, The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, has confirmed he shares the concerns of many people that the inclusion of a ‘suicide clause’ in the proposed abortion legislation could have the effect of ‘normalising it’.
He was speaking at the launch of the Mayo Suicide Liaison Project, held on Friday last in Ballyheane Community Centre.   
“In potentially normalising suicide in the Bill, the State could be seen as legitimising it and thereby sending mixed signals to young people who are most at risk,” Dr Neary said.
He continued: “By justifying the death of another person in response to suicidal feelings, the Bill also promotes destructive and life-destroying responses to suicidal symptoms rather than the caring, compassionate and life-affirming responses that are required and are the hallmark of a caring society.”
Over the weekend the fourth of ten weekly ‘Choose Life’ leaflets were distributed in parishes throughout the State. Last Sunday’s leaflet states that people are being misled by the Government and that it is under ‘no obligation’ to legislate for the X-case.
The leaflet also challenges repeated statements by Enda Kenny that this legislation is about saving lives and involves no change to the law or practise on abortion’. It also states that ‘legalising the direct and intentional destruction of the life of an unborn baby can never be described as “life saving” or “pro-life”.’

Bill
THE Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 will be introduced in the DΡil next Thursday by Minister for Health James Reilly and is expected to pass all stages in the Oireachtas by the end of July. To date, two Fine Gael representatives, Dublin South TD Peter Mathews and Galway Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames, have said publicly that they will vote against the Bill. Minster of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton is known to have reservations about the suicide provision. Sources say though that the vast majority of TDs and Senators are onside.