Pro-life prayer and vigils will continue despite "undemocratic" abortion access zones

Press Release

Pro-life prayer and vigils will continue despite an "undemocratic" new law which "criminalises even silent prayer and witness" in abortion access zones, a leading pro-life group has said. 

The Life Institute described the Safe Access Zones law commenced by Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, today as "deeply undemocratic, dishonest, and seeking to criminalise those who want to offer help to women in crisis". 

The law says that anyone who acts in a way that might be seen as having an influence on a woman seeking abortion within 100 metres of a premises carrying out abortions is acting illegally, with fines and/or imprisonment of up to six months.

Sandra Parda of the Life Institute said that "every TD who voted for this bill knows very well that people involved in peaceful pro-life prayer and vigil are causing no harm", adding that "it is entirely preposterous to argue that even silent prayer should be criminalised."

She said that the Garda Commissioner had confirmed that the Gardaí required no additional powers to manage complaints regarding vigils at abortion centres, and that this law was "motivated by malice and spite".

"We're seeing the abortion rate spiral to more than 10,000 abortions each year, and the focus of the government is to lock up people who pray for pregnant women outside an abortion centre or try to offer them help," she asserted.

"In a country with a million people on waiting lists for medical appointments, and a healthcare system in chaos, it's telling that this is how the Minister makes his priorities clear," she said. 

"This act is designed to bully peaceful protest, but Life Institute has spoken to activists around the country who say that pro-life prayer, pro-life witness, and pro-life protest will continue. We will always find a way to speak to women to offer them a better answer than abortion," she said. 

   

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