Members of Youth Defence were outside of Dáil Éireann on Wednesday as TDs and Senators returned to work after their very (long) break. The young pro-life volunteers held a massive banner featuring a picture of Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister for Health Mary Harney on one side and a little embryo on the other side.  The banner declared:"'Pick on someone your own size!’ No to Embryo Research and Cloning.”  

VIEW more information on our Protect the Embryo Campaign and watch VIDEOES by David Prentice and Wesley Smith

Youth Defence spokeswoman, Katie Robinson said the banner's size meant that "It couldn't be missed! The message was stretched across thirty feet - it took twelve of us just to hold it - and could be seen from the bottom of the street. We saw quite a few TDs do a double-take as they went into the Dáil, and our members got to talk to some of their local TDs about the issue as well."

The pro-life leader said that Youth Defence wanted to send a clear message to the government and oppositions: embryo research is unethical and unacceptable and needs to be banned. Life must be protected from conception.

"We had quite a lot of interaction with passersby, who were interested in our message," she continued. "This is just one small part in our massive eight-month campaign to protect life from conception and we'll be using this banner a lot more!"

As Youth Defence has been reporting, the Minister for Health Mary Harney said that she intends to bring forward proposals to Government this year with a view to drafting legislation to govern the area of Assisted Human Reproduction and embryonic stem cell research.  Volunteers from Youth Defence have continued to collect signatures against embryonic stem cell research, are rolling out a billboard and awareness campaign, and are doing everything they can to educate the public on this issue.

Having this banner outside the Dail on the "first day back”, is only one of the numerous campaigns that Youth Defence has been working on, in conjunction with the Life Institute, to ensure that this legislation is not pushed through by Minister Harney.  This is a crucial to educate the public about this issue and encourage people to speak out against any forthcoming legislation that promotes embryo destruction.