Mystified by embryo research vote

IN Ann Cahill’s article, “FF role criticised as EU votes for research using human embryos” (Irish Examiner, June 16), Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney said voting by Fianna Fáil MEPs was “inexplicable” and wondered “if they were serious in trying to limit research on human embryos…”.

I am also mystified.

The vote was not complicated nor hard to understand. There were three groups of bioethics amendments. The first protected the embryo and banned cloning in EU-funded research. The second was the compromise, allowing the use of embryonic stem cells created before December 31, 2003. This time limit removed the financial incentive to future embryo creation and destruction, and to cloning. The third group of amendments, one of which was co-authored by Leinster Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle, allowed EU funding of embryo research and of human cloning projects.

The order of vote meant that we would start with amendments from the first group and, if they failed to pass, move to the compromise group and if that failed, vote on the third group of amendments, the embryo destruction/cloning.

If this failed, we would be left with the European Commission’s position, which allows for funding of embryo destruction and cloning.

On the other hand, if the first group passed, the second and third groups of amendments would fall and the Commission position would be changed to protect life.

Going into the vote, we hoped for the first group of amendments to pass, were confident that we had a good chance of passing the second, and dreaded a passing of the third group or the retention of the Commission position.

It was clear an MEP who respects the life of the embryo must vote for the first group of amendments, which the four Fianna Fáil MEPs and 20 of their parliamentary group did.

When these amendments failed to get a majority we had to vote for the compromise amendments.

The FF deputies and many of their group voted against the compromise. Their ‘no’ vote was crucial since the margin was so small. Had their group voted ‘yes’, the compromise would have stood a chance.

Why did our four Fianna Fail MEPs do this? Could it have anything to do with the fact Enterprise Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin, who is on the European Council, and European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy — both Fianna Fáil — have supported EU funding of embryo destruction and cloning research when it came before them?

All that stands between our tiniest humans and EU-funded destruction, and the pressure this funding will bring on nations to legalise the use of embryos and cloning, is the European Council. It will be voting on this issue at its next Brussels meeting.

If you want to save a life, contact Mr Martin and entreat him to switch his position and join the ministers of Poland, Austria and Malta, who have consistently defended the life of the embryo.

Kathy Sinnott

MEP for Munster

European Parliament

Brussels