IFPA’s public funding and tax status queried

IT is outrageous that the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has launched a campaign for the wide availability of abortion in Ireland and proposes lobbying public representatives for a change in the law (Irish Examiner, August 10).

Political campaigning is not new to this organisation, it seems. For instance, in 2002, the IFPA spent a large sum campaigning for a No vote in the referendum on abortion on the grounds that the right to abortion should not be restricted.

The IFPA is also a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which includes some of the world’s largest abortion advocates and providers. Yet surprisingly, this is an organisation that receives the benefit of charitable tax status from the revenue commissioners, a status which prohibits such political campaigning.

Also unbelievably, it is in receipt of a large amount of taxpayers’ money to provide non-directive counselling to women in crisis pregnancy situations.

Whatever one’s opinion on abortion, is it really appropriate that an organisation that describes itself as (and is without doubt) the leading campaigner for abortion in Ireland should be counselling such vulnerable women?

The IFPA has shown itself not to be a bona fide organisation for the purposes of such counselling and has clearly run foul of the rules regarding charitable status. These matters must be the subject of immediate Government review.

Eilms Grealy

Maree Road

Oranmore

Co Galway