Kenny hits back at Vatican call to resign

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has dismissed claims from a senior Vatican official that politicians should resign rather than support Ireland’s abortion laws.

A monsignor in Rome called for TDs and senators to quit as he drew parallels between the contentious reform and Nazism.

But the Taoiseach hit back, warning Catholic hierarchy that it should not interfere in Irish Government business.

“I’m a Catholic and I don’t interfere in the messages of the Church.

“I have no comment to make on what the cardinal from the Vatican says.

“I set out very clearly what it is we have to do in terms of our constitution and the law, and that’s to provide clarity and decisiveness.

“This is about saving lives, not ending them,” Mr Kenny said.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin described the Vatican intervention as “unacceptable”: “I’m surprised by this. It’s not acceptable. Making references to Nuremburg is totally unacceptable.”

As the Government pushes ahead with plans to legalise abortion where there is a threat of suicide by July, Monsignor Jacques Suaudeau in an interview with The Irish Catholic newspaper urged politicians to follow their conscience: “If the Prime Minister as a Catholic doesn’t want to impose his belief and the time has come for a more moderate line on abortion, then he resigns.

“If you are faithful to your conviction, then you have to get out.”

His remarks come as the Oireachtas Committee on Health published two volumes of evidence it heard over three days on the proposed abortion laws.

Msgr Suaudeau, a scientific director of the Pontifical Academy for Life at the Vatican, added that politicians should not hide behind the claim that they are just doing their job.

“Sometimes people forget Nuremberg. You cannot cover yourself with the cover of party discipline,” he told The Irish Catholic newspaper.

“Generally, if you are well-known and your party is proposing something that goes against your conscience you need to make it known, you need to speak.

“Maybe they will ask you to abstain, sometimes people understand that you have an objection of conscience.”

Msgr Suaudeau warned practicing Catholic politicians who support the abortion changes are pushing themselves out of the church. He said they “cannot live in two houses” when it comes to the contentious issue.

Clashing views on abortion dominated hearings at the health committee earlier this month.

The report from the cross-party group will be given to Health Minister James Reilly to consider.

If enacted, the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 will legalise abortion where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, including the threat of suicide.

The bill aims to legislate for the X case judgement from Ireland’s Supreme Court, which found abortion is legal if there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother, including the risk of suicide.

The case was taken by a 14-year-old rape victim who became pregnant and was refused permission to travel for an abortion.

The loosening of the rules is also intended to meet requirements from a European court decision that found a woman in remission from cancer should not have been forced to travel oversees for a termination.