FF delegates back opposition to liberalise laws on abortion

Fianna Fáil rank and file members unanimously backed opposition to liberalising Ireland’s abortion laws and declared that the party would remain pro-life.

A series of motions on health passed at its ard fheis on the weekend saw speaker after speaker argue against plans by the Government to overhaul legislation in line with the X case ruling.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin said that the party would await the release of the heads of bill on abortion — set to be discussed at Cabinet this week — before making a united decision.

He refused to say if Oireachtas members would be allowed a free vote on the issue despite a call for such by parliamentary members.

Three motions were passed at the conference with claps and cheers for some of the speakers who advocated a pro-life stance.

The latest UN figures on maternity mortality showed Ireland had six deaths for every 100,000, said delegate Fionnan Bradley from Donegal.

“Any legislation based on the flawed X case ruling would corrupt the practice of psychiatry and medicine in Ireland,” he said.

Roscommon’s Lorcan Price said the current medical practice was designed to protect both the life of the mother and child.

Monaghan’s Geraldine Smith said what had happened in other countries proved there was no such thing as limited abortion.

“It ends the life of a baby and ignores the heartbreak of women who regret their abortions,” she said.

Many speakers opposed a situation where an abortion was permitted if a woman was suicidal.

Cavan’s Fiona O’Hanlon said a survey of Irish psychiatrists found 89% of respondents said abortion was not the correct treatment for those who were suicidal.

Only one delegate said she thought the party was being too strict about the issue of abortion. She said women who had had abortions abroad had received limited support after a procedure.

Roscommon’s Mary Lou Doherty said the threat of suicide as a reason for an abortion had been “widely exploited” in other countries and if laws were changed in Ireland it would only be a matter of time before the same happened here.

Longford’s Darren Hughes argued that legislation supporting the X case ruling would not have saved the life of Savita Hallapanavar, who suffered a miscarriage and later died.