Bishop says term ‘fatal foetal abnormality’ is misleading
Bishop John Buckley said there will likely be pressure to repeal the Eighth Amendment after the election.
“In the debate, there will be frequent references to ‘fatal foetal abnormalities’,” he said. “In fact the word ‘fatal’ is misleading since there is no medical evidence, none whatsoever, where a doctor can predict, with certainty, the lifespan of babies before they are born. Parents often say the time they have with their baby, however short, is very precious.”
He said the term “incompatible with life” was a hurtful phrase as it implied that a baby’s life was worthless.
“It is sad that a child’s life-limiting condition is being used to promote the agenda of those who seek to legalise abortion on much wider grounds,” the bishop said. “Candidates in the election should be questioned politely but firmly, not just on their future intentions but on their past record. The Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act (2013) directly targeted the life of the unborn child and did so in the full knowledge that abortion is not a treatment for suicidal feelings.”
He said in the context of abortion, the Church teaches it is wrong to confuse the necessary medical treatment to save the life of a mother and which does not intend to harm the baby “with abortion which deliberately takes the life of a child”.
In his statement, Bishop Buckley also said there are now more homeless than at any other time in modern history, yet he said there was no moral justification for a lack of housing.
“It is an issue that demands investment,” he said. “The regional co-ordination of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul told me recently that they are dealing with a cohort of new poor, many of whom were contributors to the charity in the past. Many of those on low incomes are in a similar situation. The next government must address this problem with a reduction of taxes for those on lower incomes.”
He also addressed hospital overcrowding and the refugee crisis.
“The media has consistently drawn our attention to the issue of an overcrowded, understaffed healthcare system where elderly patients and those who are chronically ill are consigned to endless queues and trollies on corridors.” he said. “This denies the dignity of the human person.”
The bishop said the refugee crisis is one which threatens to destabilise governments across Europe. He said that while the vast majority of refugees have experienced great hardship, violence, and suffering and are “good and law-abiding people”, refugees must respect the values, laws, and traditions of the host countries. Ireland and Europe must address this question as a matter of urgency while respecting the need to follow proper procedures and security checks,” he added.
Finally in relation to his home county, the bishop said the “much celebrated” economic recovery was not as evident in parts of Cork as it might be elsewhere. He said the recent floods had resulted in heartbreak and financial ruin in many towns.
