Paul KeenanThe Pro-Life Campaign (PLC) has described Dublin City Council’s forthcoming vote on a repeal of the 8th Amendment as “lamentable”.
Reacting to news that a motion tabled by Councillor Michael O’Brien of the Anti-Austerity Alliance is to face a vote on September 7, Cora Sherlock of the PLC called on pro-life supporters to contact their local councillors to voice their objections.
“This latest attempt by some members of Dublin City Council to push for repeal of the 8th Amendment is further evidence of the lamentable state of public discourse at present on important life and death issues,” she told The Irish Catholic.
“In Dublin this very night, there will be up to 20 homeless pregnant women sleeping rough,” she pointed out. “That in itself is an outrage. Surely Dublin City Councillors should be prioritising this rather than backing a motion that undermines the last remaining legal protection for the unborn child.”
Speaking to this newspaper, Councillor O’Brien insisted that his move to have the 8th Amendment overturned was based on his belief that “women are going to have abortions regardless. Do we place obstacles or do we provide a medically safe environment for these women?”
However, Ms Sherlock rejected this line of reasoning.
“There are lots of issues in public life where we don’t just say ‘they’re happening anyway’,” she said, adding, “there is nothing medically safe about abortion.”