Leitrim Labour reps slammed for hypocrisy on advocating abortion while talking up childcare

Activists in Leitrim have called out the hypocrisy of local Labour reps, and the party leader, in talking up support for children and families while also pushing for extreme abortion laws.

The Leitrim Observer had recently reported on the visit of Labour TD, Ivana Bacik, to the Sligo Leitrim constituency to look at childcare in the area and struggles that local families may face.

According to the Leitrim Observer, Bacik has frequently highlighted the topic of childcare since her election to the Dail in 2021, and the tour enabled her to see the work done by educators and children within the community.  

“Health, housing and Childcare are the three big issues around the country and the constituency,” she told the Leitrim Observer. “I always like, on these tours around Ireland, to visit childcare and early years facilities. A huge priority for us in Labour is pushing for a universal, fully accessible, public childcare system. An equal Early Years start, equivalent to primary school places.”

Whilst on the tour, Bacik TD also introduced Bernie Linnane as the new Labour representative for the area. Linnane has been vocal in pushing for more extreme abortion laws, and has repeatedly verbally attacked crisis pregnancy efforts which offer women a better answer than abortion. 

She was a member of the Together for Yes campaign which worked to repeal the 8th amendment, and was criticised recently for saying that the 6,666 abortions that took place in Ireland in 2019 were “6,666 small victories". 

“Bernie is a great advocate for equality, and especially for women’s rights,” Ms Bacik said. “With only three women amongst 18 councillors in both Leitrim and Sligo County Councils, both bodies are failing to hear women’s voices. Both Sligo and Leitrim County Council need more women’s voices.”

Nessa Cosgrove, Labour spokesperson for the area, also claimed that Labour are there to listen to and speak on behalf of the locals. 

In response, local pro-life activist Sean Wynne wrote a superb response to the paper, highlighting the hypocrisy of the claims made of being advocates for women’s rights and in their attempts to improve childcare services, when the three representaives are advocates for abortion.

“It is ironic indeed that all three women spent much of their tour of the Sligo Leitrim constituency visiting a number of childcare and early years facilities, when all three are active abortion campaigners,” he began. “Ms Bacik is quoted describing the new Labour local area rep, as “a great advocate for equality, and especially for women’s rights.”

“Sadly, their definition of equality does not extend to the unborn, some 50% of whom should grow up to be women,” he ended.

It is ironic, as Mr Wynne rightly points out, that these Labour representatives claim to advocate for the voices of women, yet the government have completely ignored women when it comes to the harmful effects of the abortion regime in Ireland.

If these Labour representatives truly cared about women and families when it came to health and childcare, then they would seek to ensure the voices of those who endured traumatic abortions are heard and brought towards a government that seeks to silence these women.