PR: Call on Taoiseach to Reject Proposals
15.06.2005
Youth Defence today congratulated the Italian people for their decisive decision to abstain from a referendum which intended to overturn restrictions on early human life abuses. The referendum, held on Sunday and Monday, required a turnout of at least 50% to pass but Italian voters shunned the polls, answering a call from pro-life groups and the Italian Bishops to boycott the measure.
The Youth Defence Chairman, Eoghan de Faoite, said that “the legal restrictions that serve to protect early human life from the abuses of assisted human reproduction and embryo research had been approved by the Italian people.” He added that by deciding to abstain instead of voting No, the electorate had shown they understood the complexity of the issues involved and did not want to be part of a measure which was not consistent with the protection of human life at all stages.
Mr de Faoite said that the Italian Bishops were entirely correct when they said that the battle to protect the rights of the embryo was not a Catholic battle, but a drive to protect the common good. He called on an Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to reject the unethical and anti-life recommendations made by the Irish Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction (CAHR) in their report presented to Mary Harney in May 2005. The CAHR have called for the legalization of embryo destruction and embryo research, and for single persons and homosexual couples to be given access to IVF treatment. Mr de Faoite said the CAHR proposals enjoyed no popular support despite the best efforts of advocates to dress up such abuses as measures to assist infertile couples.
Youth Defence are preparing a comprehensive report which will address the legal, medical, social and ethical issues raised by the CAHR and offer pro-life alternatives to the Government. Mr de Faoite said an extensive information and lobbying campaign is also being organised by Youth Defence to counteract the brutal recommendations made by the CAHR in their report.
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