Strasbourg case bid to overturn constitution

THERE is something of an irony in the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) bringing a case against Ireland at the European Court of Human Rights.

The IFPA is recognised by the Revenue as a charity. As a result, donations and bequests to it are supplemented by taxpayer contributions.

The activity at Strasbourg is political (for which, incidentally, the IFPA and the Irish taxpayer in part is paying the expenses of three learned counsel engaged by the IFPA).

In my view, the plight of the three women (A, B and C) is being used. The aim is to overturn part of the constitution endorsed by the Irish people.

One of the results is that the Irish taxpayer is helping to fund a case against the Irish voter (and taxpayer).

We already have a constitution and the courts.

A further irony is that the same Government which has given taxpayers’ money to the IFPA is defending the right to life embodied in the constitution with, we are assured, “robustness”.

How robust can this defence be in the circumstances?

Donal O’Driscoll

Dargle Road

Blackrock

Co Dublin