call to probe ‘farcical’ vote

THE Citizens’ Assembly landmark call for abortion to be made legal was criticised as “farcical” yesterday. Pro Life Campaign spokeswoman Cora Sherlock said: “The Oireachtas Committee charged with considering the recommendations have a duty to first examine how it was allowed to operate in such a one-sided, unscientific and chaotic way. “Assembly members, for example, voted overwhelmingly for abortion on grounds of ‘mental health risk’ to the mother. They did so without a single presentation or hearing from any expert witnesses.”

THE landmark recommendations by the Citizens’ Assembly have caught politicians – who have dodged the issue for over three decades – completely off guard.

There can be little doubt the Taoiseach and his ministers came up with the idea of the assembly in the first place in order to avoid dealing with abortion. But if Enda Kenny and his Government expected a fudge they were seriously mistaken. The assembly could not have been clearer in its view there should be almost unlimited abortion up to the 12th week of a pregnancy. That, of course, has split public opinion once again – and will continue to do so. It is now imperative the politicians finally face down what has been the most intractable and divisive issue of the last 40 years. With the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald now backing a referendum on the abortion issue next year there is every likelihood it will take place. What the Citizens’ Assembly has done is place the issue back to the politicians, who have been left with no alternative but to act and for that they deserve credit. Finding wording that will allow a referendum to be passed will be no easy task for it is clear the majority of people here do not want an abortion regime as liberal as the one recommended by the assembly.