The Irish Times Coverage of Abortion Threat.

The Irish Times

May 20, 2008 Tuesday

Move to extend abortion provision to North withdrawn

DAN KEENAN, Northern News Editor

AN AMENDMENT to controversial legislation aimed at extending abortion provision to Northern Ireland has been withdrawn at Westminster.Liberal Democrat MP Evan Harris had tabled an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill currently being debated in the Commons. The measure would have extended the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland where there is no legislative provision for abortion.The withdrawal of the amendment was welcomed yesterday by the Association of Catholic Lawyers of Ireland. Barrister Johanna Higgins said: I am delighted to see that the pro-abortion lobby in Westminster has backed off from its threat to try and get the Abortion Act extended to the North of Ireland, which would have meant, among other things, the legalisation of abortion to full term for disabled babies. All four main political parties in Stormont, at the request of the all-party Pro-Life Group, co-signed a letter which was sent to all Westminster politicians opposing plans to extend the Abortion Act.On Friday, the leaders of the four main churches in Ireland wrote to each Westminster MP calling for the Northern Ireland Assembly to be given primacy on the question of abortion legislation.There is a strong anti-abortion majority at Stormont.Leading anti-abortion groups also co-signed a letter which was sent to all politicians in Britain opposing the plans to extend the Act.The move was criticised by the Alliance For Change, a pressure group seeking abortion legislation for Northern Ireland; by the Family Planning Association and by the editorially independent Church of Ireland Gazette. It argued that church leaders should not press legislators on how to vote on any issue.

May 20, 2008

First Leg of Pro Abortion Threat To North of Ireland Fails.

Association of Catholic Lawyers of Ireland

catholiclawyers@hotmail.com

Press Release 19th May 2008

BREAKING NEWS

First Leg of Pro Abortion Threat To North of Ireland Fails..

By the Grace of God the present threat that the 1967 British Abortion Act would be extended to the north of Ireland has failed.

Lib Dem MP Evan Harris, an ardent pro abortionist, was set to introduce an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, currently being debated in the Westminster Parliament, which would have proposed the extension of legalised abortion to the North of Ireland. However it has been confirmed from Westminster that Harris has failed to table any amendment which would allow a vote to extend the Abortion Act to the North of Ireland during this weeks debate.

On June 10th 2007 the English paper ,The Observer, reported “plans by a cross-party group of MPs to amend legislation in the autumn that would finally introduce the 1967 Abortion Act into Northern Ireland”. Harris had said it was ‘disgraceful’ that the North of Ireland had not accepted the Abortion Act and “It’s time that situation changed. There must be a vote in parliament”.

Despite pro abortion English press reports putting out a series of articles and radio programmes promoting the idea that abortion was required in the North of Ireland the campaign may have failed.

Johanna Higgins, Barrister, of the ACLI says; “ I am delighted to see that the pro abortion lobby in Westminster has backed off from its threat to try and get the Abortion Act extended to the North of Ireland, which would have meant, among other things, the legalisation of abortion to full term for disabled babies”, she goes on to say “It is clear that there is no support for any extension of the Abortion Act to Ireland and the pro abortion group were afraid that if they put the proposal before Westminster they would lose the vote at this stage”.

All four main political parties in the North of Ireland, at the request of the All Party Pro Life Group, co-signed a letter which was sent to all Westminster politicians opposing plans to extend the Abortion Act . This was the first time the parties had ever taken such a step on any single issue. On Friday the Catholic Cardinal and three Protestant churchmen also wrote to each member of the British Government asking them to reject any attempt to extend legislation and to leave the matter of abortion to the Stormont Parliament in Belfast.

Leading pro life groups also co-signed a letter which was sent to all politicians in Britain opposing the plans to extend the Abortion Act.

Geraldine Foley, Barrister, of the ACLI states “Not only would any extension of the Abortion Act to Ireland be against the democratic will of the people and politicians of the North of Ireland, but also against the Irish Constitution which provides protection from conception for Irish Citizens both north and south of this country.”

There is a possibility Harris may still try to get an amendment before Parliament at the report stage of the Bill. However this is more difficult and it is hoped that the opposition to this move will deter any such attempt. We must continue to pray that this is the case.

END

Notes to Editor:

Association of Catholic Lawyers of Ireland
Co – Founders
Mrs Johanna Higgins LLB, Inn of the Court of Northern Ireland, The Kings Inns, Dublin and the Inner Temple, London, Barrister.
Mrs Geraldine Foley LLB, The Kings Inns, Dublin and the Inner Temple, London, Barrister.

http://catholiclawyersblog.wordpress.com/

The following are links to some stories in the English press.

Evan Harris in The Observer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jun/10/uk.northernireland

Extension of Abortion Act to NI The Times

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2733711.ece

BBC Radio 4 Abortion in N Ireland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/02/2008_06_mon.shtml

The Guardian Abortion in Ulster

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jan/28/northernireland.northernireland

Letter To All Westminster MPs From Pro Life Coalition

ni-joint-letter1 Click here to see the joint letter from the pro life groups asking Westminster to vote against any attempt to extend the Abortion Act to the North of Ireland.

Update on proposed extention of Abortion Act to North of Ireland.

At close of business on Friday the 16th May no amendment had been recorded by the committee office in Westminster. However it is still possible that this will not be published untill Monday morning, so it will not be clear until then whether or not the amendment was lodged.

Sources at Westminster say that the feeling is, given the strength of feeling in N Ireland on this matter, that no amendment will be tabled.

However we must keep praying that this is the case and that those threatening to force this terrible legislation on our country have backed off from the threat.

Given that every MP in Westminster has recieved three letters, one signed by the four main party leaders, one signed by the Catholic Cardinal and three protestant churchmen and one signed by all the pro life groups in the North (including the Association of Catholic Lawyers), all requesting that the matter of abortion should be dealth with only by Stormont, it is hoped that if any amendment is proposed the vote will fail.

Say the Rosary.

Letter Regarding Threat of Abortion to Ireland

A letter from the Association of Catholic Lawyers in Ireland is published in todays English Telegraph.

It is hoped that if an amendment is tabled by Evan Harris MP Lib Dem, that the majority of MPs in Westminster will respect the democratic process and vote against such a proposal.

God willing.

Copy of Letter

Sir – An amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is expected to be tabled, proposing the extension of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland. This would be against the public and political will of the Northern Irish people.

On October 22, 2007, the Stormont Assembly, whose members represent the Northern Irish public, and which has enjoyed devolved status since May of last year, voted by a large majority to reject any attempt to liberalise the criminal law on abortion in Northern Ireland.

The four main parties are unanimous in their rejection of the Abortion Act and their leaders this week wrote a letter to that effect, which has been sent to all MPs in Westminster.