Pro Abortion Threat to North of

By the Grace of God the threat that the 1967 British Abortion Act would be extended to the North of Ireland has failed.

Lib Dem MP Evan Harris, an ardent pro abortionist, was set to introduce an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, currently being debated in the Westminster Parliament, which would have proposed the extension of legalised abortion to the North of Ireland. However it has been confirmed from Westminster that Harris has failed to table any amendment which would allow a vote to extend the Abortion Act to the North of Ireland.

On June 10th 2007 the English paper ,The Observer, reported “plans by a cross-party group of MPs to amend legislation in the autumn that would finally introduce the 1967 Abortion Act into Northern Ireland”. Harris had said it was 'disgraceful' that the North of Ireland had not accepted the Abortion Act and “It's time that situation changed. There must be a vote in parliament”.

Despite pro abortion English press reports putting out a series of articles and radio programmes promoting the idea that abortion was required in the North of Ireland the campaign failed.

Johanna Higgins, Barrister, of the ACLI says; “ I am delighted to see that the pro abortion lobby in Westminster has backed off from its threat to try and get the Abortion Act extended to the North of Ireland, which would have meant, among other things, the legalisation of abortion to full term for disabled babies”, she goes on to say “It is clear that their was no support for any extension of the Abortion Act to Ireland and the pro abortion group were afraid that if they put the proposal before Westminster they would lose the vote.”

All four main political parties in the North of Ireland, at the request of the All Party Pro Life Group, co-signed a letter which was sent to all Westminster politicians opposing plans to extend the Abortion Act . This was the first time the parties had ever taken such a step on any single issue. On Friday the Catholic Cardinal and three Protestant churchmen also wrote to each member of the British Government asking them to reject any attempt to extend legislation and to leave the matter of abortion to the Stormont Parliament in Belfast.

Leading pro life groups also co-signed a letter which was sent to all politicians in Britain opposing the plans to extend the Abortion Act.

Geraldine Foley, Barrister, of the ACLI states “Not only would any extension of the Abortion Act to Ireland have been against the democratic will of the people and politicians of the North of Ireland, but also against the Irish Constitution which provides protection from conception for Irish Citizens both north and south of this country.”

Therefore any crime of abortion perpetrated against the Unborn Child in the North of Ireland will continue to be dealt with by the offences of illegal abortion and child destruction, each of which carries a life sentence.
END

Notes to Editor:

Association of Catholic Lawyers of Ireland
Co - Founders
Mrs Johanna Higgins LLB, Inn of the Court of Northern Ireland, The Kings Inns, Dublin and the Inner Temple, London, Barrister.
Mrs Geraldine Foley LLB, The Kings Inns, Dublin and the Inner Temple, London, Barrister.

The following are links to some stories in the English press.

Evan Harris in The Observer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jun/10/uk.northernireland

Extension of Abortion Act to NI The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2733711.ece

BBC Radio 4 Abortion in N Ireland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/02/2008_06_mon.shtml

The Guardian Abortion in Ulster
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jan/28/northernireland.northernireland