The Government’s abortion proposal would discriminate against babies with disabilities. LoveBoth was highlighting the fact that a vote for repeal would hand complete power over to the Government to pass whatever laws they want.
Commenting earlier, LoveBoth spokesperson Eilís Mulroy said:
“There is no legal prohibition on abortion for reasons of disability in the Government’s proposal and this would put babies with disabilities at serious risk if the Eighth Amendment is repealed. In countries where there are no restrictions on abortion on grounds of disability, babies diagnosed with a disability like Down syndrome are aborted in huge numbers”.
“In Britain, 9 out of 10 babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome in the womb are aborted and this rate is repeated in other European countries like Denmark and Iceland. These horrific rates have arisen due to the fact that many European countries do not explicitly prohibit abortion on grounds of Down Syndrome and the Government’s proposal (pdf) is similar in this regard.”
She concluded:
“Minister Simon Harris has put forward a proposal that would allow the abortion of vulnerable children where a condition like Down syndrome is detected. It is up to him to try to justify a proposal that would remove the Eighth Amendment and replace it with a law that would introduce discrimination into our laws. Without constitutional protection for human life, disabled babies are going to be the first victims. The Minister owes the Irish people an explanation regarding this very obvious and worrying aspect of his abortion plan.”
LoveBoth has been listening to parents of children with disabilities and to families with children who have Down Syndrome. This campaign is just supporting them and giving them a voice.
“In countries where abortion on demand is available, up to 90% of unborn babies with #DownSyndrome are aborted every year. There is nothing in the Government’s abortion plan that would stop exactly the same pattern happening here in Ireland.” Liz McDermott of @OneDayMoreIre pic.twitter.com/povq5SAsGG
— LoveBoth (Official) (@loveboth8) May 2, 2018
“I don’t believe we can afford to censor the reality that abortion laws in other countries have led to discrimination against babies with Down Syndrome” Sineád McBreen, mother of Grace, who has Down Syndrome #LoveBothVoteNO pic.twitter.com/MJVfWveqta
— LoveBoth (Official) (@loveboth8) May 1, 2018
ENDS