There has been a mixed reaction online to claims made by the Rural Independent Group who have asserted that late-term abortions are ongoing in Ireland with no pain relief given to the baby.
New evidence of late-term abortions occurring in Irish maternity hospitals with babies given no pain relief.
Rural Independent TDs, Carol Nolan, Mattie Mc Grath and Michael Collins, have highlighted the awful practice of late- term abortions occurring in Irish hospitals, as revealed in a new report published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The TDs also called on the Minister for Health and the Government to immediately introduce a ban on late-term abortions; to ensure mandated care for any baby born alive after a labour induction; and, to ensure pain relief is provided for babies being aborted.
Raising the issue this evening (Thursday, 3rd December), in a topical issue debate in the Dáil, the Rural Independent Deputies strongly criticised the Minister for Health for allowing this practice to occur.
Speaking during the debate, Deputy Mattie Mc Grath stated:
“This new research illustrates the devastating psychological and other associated impacts this policy is having on medical staff, by allowing late-term abortions in Ireland. This new scientific publication, which extensively interviewed ten abortion doctors who had provided abortions in Ireland, raises extremely serious issues and makes for extremely grim reading.”
“This new study now confirms that a procedure known as feticide – a method of late-term abortion – is being carried out in Irish maternity hospitals.”
“The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists state that the feticide procedure is used after 21 weeks and six days gestation. The aim of this inhumane procedure is ensuring there is ‘no risk of a live birth’ by injecting – without any pain relief for the unborn – potassium into the heart of the child, inducing a horrific heart attack to end their life.”
“The British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology describes the practice of feticide as injecting potassium chloride into the baby’s heart to induce a fatal heart attack. As such, we can all attest that this represents a brutal action and the Rural Independent Deputies warned that this would occur during the Dáil debate on the legislation that introduced this policy in 2018.”
Deputy Carol Nolan stated:
“A caring society cannot treat its most vulnerable in such a barbaric, shameful and inhumane manner.”
“Astonishingly, the administration of potassium chloride is so severe and painful that the authorities in charge of executions in the United States, consider it necessary to firstly administer an anaesthetic and/or a paralytic to avoid suffering to the prisoner being put to death.”
“Therefore, it is truly appalling to think that the Irish government would allow a situation to emerge where there is no such obligation to administer similar pain relief to babies being put to death in late-term abortions. In fact, the then Health Minister, Simon Harris, refused an amendment by the Rural Independents and others, at the time, which would have mandated pain-relief for the baby in late-term abortions here.”
“One doctor interviewed in this study described carrying out the feticide procedure as: ‘stabbing the baby in the heart’, which was described as ‘brutal’, ‘awful’ and emotionally difficult’, while another doctor spoke of getting sick in the corridor, due to the dreadful nature of the procedure.”
“Another grim element of the report noted the lack of clarity in a situation where a baby born alive, following an abortion, would be cared for or left to die. Alarmingly, the doctors surveyed stated that they would be left in a position where they would be ‘begging’ anyone to help administer palliative care to the abortion-surviving child.”
Deputy Michael Collins stated:
“Thus, it is truly excruciating and terrifying that there would even be any doubt that a child born in Ireland, who survived an abortion, should be saved or not.”
“We, in the Rural Independents Group, tabled many amendments during the debate on abortion legislation in 2018, including the provision of pain relief and guaranteed medical care for babies born alive post abortion. Shockingly FF, FG, SF and Labour voted against these amendments at the time.”
“For instance, Statistics Canada records illustrate data showing that over one ten-year period, there were 491 ‘live-birth’ abortions after 20 weeks gestation. This latest research confirms our initial fears of late-term abortions occurring. In fact, the study confirms that Ireland’s legislation is without any gestational limits and is creating the opportunity for late-term terminations.
“The horror of what Irish doctors, nurses and medical staff are being subjected to compounds the injustice of taking the life of the child.”
Concluding Deputy Mc Grath said:
“Once again, despite this new evidence, which we have highlighted here this evening, the government response is pathetic and shows no empathy to the plight of suffering babies and healthcare workers. Again, we are calling on the Minister for Health and the Government to: (1) immediately introduce a ban on late-term abortions; (2) ensure mandated care for any baby born alive after an induction; and, (3) ensure pain relief is provided for babies being aborted,” concluded Deputy Mc Grath.
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