PR: Disability Campaign Begins

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PR: Pro-Life Disability Campaign Begins

27.06.2007

A new leaflet defending the right-to-life of people with disabilities has been launched by LifeAbility, the campaign to oppose abortion of the disabled. Joseph Kearney, a spokesman for the campaign, said they wanted to drive home the message that disability should be ‘no impediment to the natural and constitutional rights of Irish citizens with disabilities; especially the right to be born.’

The LifeAbility leaflet, which carries the slogan ‘What’s the point in wheelchair access if I have no right to life?’, will be widely distributed during the summer, and is part of a major campaign, in conjunction with the pro-life organisation Youth Defence, against eugenic abortion. The campaign will co-host pro-life disability campaigner Alison Davies of the No Less Human group on 7 July in the Alexander Hotel in Dublin.

Mr Kearney pointed out that the recent ‘D’ case had seen an ‘alarming and disturbing advocation of the right to kill babies with disabilities before they were born.’ He said that barristers, a High Court judge, and the media had joined in describing a baby with a profound disability as less than human and that the case was being used to push for abortion of children with special needs. ‘Who will decide whether a child should live or die in these cases?’, said Mr Kearney. ‘Will we follow the example of Britain who abort more than ninety per cent of their children with Down’s Syndrome? This is not what Irish people want.’

LifeAbility - previously Enable Life - is being organised by people with disabilities and their families and carers. They have said that they will be asking all groups representing people with disabilities to support the campaign.

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