Abortion: Ireland

10 days of media debate - abortion campaigners intentions revealed

In the run up to the abortion Bill, spokespersons for Youth Defence and Life Institute took part in almost 30 media debates and events.

Several key points were made, the most important being:

The Bill did not seek to introduce 'limited abortion' but would have, in fact, legalised abortion-on-demand, a regime which brings about the death of 180,000 babies every year in Britain. Abortion-on-demand is the aim of abortion campaigners who are using scaremongering and dishonest tactics to work up support for their agenda.
There is no such thing as a 'life-saving' abortion. Women are safer without abortion, the Irish experience and the evidence of our best medical experts have shown that abortion is not needed to preserve mothers lives. All unborn children have a right to life, regardless of whether they have a disability or not. Our support and sympathy should always be available for parents who are faced with the terrible diagnosis that their baby will not live, but that baby's right to life must also be defended. Support services for families in this situation should be improved, and the voices of the many thousands of women who have carried their babies to term and shared that brief but precious time with them, should be heard.
There is no public support for the legalisation of abortion - as evidenced by the 50 or so abortion supporters who came to the 'Rally for Choice' at the Dáil following months of advertising and media support. This was in stark contrast to the 8,000 who marched in the Rally for Life last year - and the hundreds of women who gathered at the Dáil to say abortion proposals were 'Not made in our name'.

Some of that coverage is available on line:

Niamh Uí Bhriain debated the Bill with Bill Tormley of Fine Gael on Newstalk. You can listen to it here http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast/61887/?uniqueID=86053
She also debated Joan Collins of the Socialist Party on LMFM (podcast) and Limerick 95 FM - you can listen to that in our jukebox

Niamh debates with Ciara Conway of the Labour Party on TodayFM's Last Word with Matt Cooper Listen to it here: http://media.todayfm.com/listenback/98/friday/2/?uniqueID=3240401

Dr Eoghan de Faoite spoke on TV3 opposing the Bill and pointing out that what it's proponents actually sought was abortion on demand. See the interview here: http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/184/47622/0/Ireland-AM

Niamh Uí Bhriain told the New York Times that the Bill had no public support - see the report here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/world/europe/ireland-takes-up-bill-on-abortion-access.html?_r=1&ref=europe

Niamh Uí Bhriain disscuss the bill on Cork's LIFE FM. You can hear the interview in our jukebox

Our pro-life activists joined the debate in several radio programmes - including the Joan Lea show on 98FM: http://media.98fm.com/listenback/360/tuesday/1/

Íde Nic Mhathúna spoke up for mothers and babies on Spin FM
Niamh was on LifeFM, OceanFM, SpiritFM, DublinCity FM
Some other coverage included: