The Pro Life Campaign has said that the latest intervention by Tánaiste Simon Coveney proves that the Cabinet is in disarray when it comes to the abortion referendum.
The PLC was responding to the Tánaiste’s suggestion that in the event of repeal a provision should be inserted whereby a two-thirds majority of the Dáil would be required to amend any future abortion legislation after the current proposals on abortion from government are voted through.
Commenting on the Tánaiste’s latest proposal, Caroline Simons, legal consultant to the Pro Life Campaign said:
“The Tánaiste must have a very short memory. Only a few weeks back at the press conference outlining the Government’s referendum plans, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made it clear that any proposal from government on abortion couldn’t and wouldn’t tie the hands of a future Dáil with regard to changing the legislation. Now we have the Tánaiste proposing the polar opposite.
“It’s obvious that Simon Coveney understands how extreme the Government’s proposals are and is looking for something to latch onto to convince himself that it’s not quite so awful. But there’s no escaping that repeal equals abortion on demand.
“I have sympathy with the struggle that is clearly playing out in the Tánaiste’s interventions on this life and death issue. I also understand that today’s suggestion is coming from his fear that repeal of the Eighth Amendment would lead to abortion on demand. But there is no way around this basic reality, and it is time for our politicians to show true leadership and reject the repeal proposal that can only lead one way – to wide-ranging abortion.”
Ms Simons continued:
“The Tánaiste has suggested that after unrestricted abortion in the first 3 months of pregnancy has been introduced that it should take a two-thirds majority of the Dáil to amend any such legislation. As well as being unconstitutional, his proposal is not exactly a vote of confidence in trusting politicians. The clear message from the Tánaiste’s intervention today is: ‘Coveney doesn’t trust politicians, and neither should you’.
“The only way to ensure unborn babies have any meaningful protections in law is to oppose repeal and Vote No in the referendum.”