PR: YD Rejects Dishonest Green Paper
01.10.1999
Youth Defence, naturally welcomes the publication of the Green Paper on abortion, after the many long and unnecessary delays. It is, however, quite shocking that given that delay the document itself should contain no worthwhile addition to the debate. It seems clear that the Committee have accepted the Irish peoples abhorrence of abortion and that is a good and necessary thing. Naturally the various proposals for introducing legalised abortion, from a limited form to abortion on demand will be rejected by all right thinking people. Having said that the approach it takes on the various options, and the possible difficulties with each, is profoundly dishonest. In the first instance their attempt to raise again the notion that a complete prohibition of abortion might threaten the lives of Irish women is untrue.
Those in the medical profession, who have, for ideological reasons, sought to raise doubts about potential risks to the proper treatment of Irish women, were unable to substantiate any of their claims when asked to do so by the medical Council. It is absurd then that these claims are repeated in a Government document as if they had some validity. Clearly the only the only argument against a complete prohibition of abortion rests on these discredited claims. We must also note that, while purporting to be a discussion document outlining all the options, the Green Paper does not in fact do this. It is the view of Youth Defence that the original Article 40.3,3 is the only one covered by the Maastrict protocol. Any attempt to amend the article is very unlikely to be protected under European law and in that event abortion would almost certainly be forced on Ireland by Europe.
Youth Defence proposed a clarifying subsection which would force Supreme Court to re-interpret Article 40.3,3 in line with its original intent. The option of a clarifying subsection was not dealt with in this Green Paper, even though the most incredible of pro-abortion views were given space, which their miniscule public support could not justify. Youth Defence have absolutely no confidence in the Solemn Declaration of the High Contracting Parties. That has been our consistent position. We are at a loss to understand why the idea of adding the clarifying subsection "No law shall be enacted, nor shall any provision of the Constitution be interpreted, to render induced abortion, or the procurement of induced abortion, lawful in the State", was not given the place it deserved. If it had been then it would have been clear that the difficulties arising from the Protocol would be avoided. Any questions as to the definition of the term "unborn" would have been avoided, and of course, it would have made clear that the duty of the State, to the right to life of the unborn child, to "as far as is practicable....defend and vindicate that right" would explicitly include a total prohibition on all induced abortion. As such it is the considered view of Youth Defence that none of the options outlined in this Green Paper offer adequate Constitutional protection to the lives of Irish babies. This is particularly shocking in view of the implied acceptance that this is what the Irish people want. It is a poor outcome to the many years of waiting. There seems to be a deliberate attempt to suggest that though a ban on abortion is desirable, it is impossible. This is not true, it has never been true, and no amount of circumlocuted language will suffice to make it true. Attempts to maintain a calm and considered debate on abortion are not facilitated by such miserable methods in confidence trickery. We look forward to the All Party Committee on the Constitution coming up with something better.
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