Three women volunteers dismissed five years ago by CURA, the Catholic Church's pregnancy agency, have been reinstated with an apology. The women were among four volunteers who refused to distribute so-called ‘Positive Options’ leaflets from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which give contact numbers for abortion referrals. The fourth volunteer has since retired from CURA.

"The National Executive Council of CURA is pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Phil Murray, Mary Kelly, Ann Farren -- three volunteers of its Letterkenny Centre," the apology, which was printed in several newspapers today, read. "The volunteers have been re-instated as members of CURA and have now resumed functions. "CURA wishes to apologise to each of the volunteers for the distress caused and looks forward with gratitude to their continuing commitment to the work of this organisation."

The controversy made headlines in 2005 when the four women publicly questioned the Catholic agency's distribution of the CPA leaflet. In a report to the Catholic Hierarchy on the issue the Mother and Child Campaign advised that the distribution of the CPA leaflets were contrary to pro-life ethics and to Catholic teaching.

The Irish Independent reported yesterday that the reinstatement of the women followed the intervention of the Vatican which ruled that in canon law they had a moral duty to point out the immorality of abortion.

Welcoming the apology and reinstatement, Niamh Uí Bhriain said that “The pro-life ethos sought to protect both mother and child from abortion, and it’s high time Cura made amends to these women who were seeking to do just that.”