‘Government must educate itself about Repeal the Eighth campaign’
Fine Gael TD says public will vote for abortion if they have all the facts
A PROMINENT Fine Gael TD has said the Government and the public would back abortion on demand if they educated themselves about the facts in the Repeal the Eighth debate.
Deputy Kate O’Connell called on Oireachtas members to inform themselves – as the Citizens’ Assembly did – if they want to deliver a referendum that reflects the wishes of the public.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed doubts that the public would support the recommendations of the Assembly, which has advocated free access to abortion services for up to 12 weeks of a pregnancy.
However, Deputy O’Connell yesterday told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘I appreciate where An Taoiseach is coming from. However, I believe that if the public are informed to the same level as the members of the Citizens’ Assembly, the majority view will be aligned with the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly.
‘In order to get a result in a referendum that truly reflects the views of the Irish public, I believe the Government has a duty to inform the public and themselves to the same level as the Citizens’ Assembly members did.’
Deputy O’Connell also warned her Fine Gael colleagues that those who vote to retain the Eighth Amendment – which gives equal status to the life of the unborn and the mother – would be representing the views of a minority of voters.
‘The Citizens’ Assembly showed us that the people who vote exclusively on retaining the Eighth as it is are in the minority in Ireland.
‘I think those views are reflected in a minority of Fine Gael representatives as they are representing their electorates,’ she said.
‘Obviously, it would be a shame to lose Fine Gael representatives over the issue, as it is perceived as a very emotive one.
‘There is no disputing the truth of the matter – abortion is the ending of a potential life. That’s not in dispute.
‘But thinking that, and deciding your point of view squarely on that black and white assessment and nothing else, misses the entire point.
‘If you cannot see past the “primary process” of thought on it, that kind of juvenile logic – “this is wrong and that is right” – then you will never be convinced of the argument for freedom of choice.
‘And by freedom of choice I mean trusting women. Trusting women to make the right decisions for themselves and not have to be eternally repenting for the sin of sex.
‘We have moved past that in Ireland.’
Tomorrow, the Oireachtas committee on abortion – of which Ms O’Connell is a member – will meet for the second time, to discuss the constitutional implications of repealing, and potentially replacing, the Eighth Amendment.
‘My personal view at this point in time, depending on what develops on Wednesday, is that we should be putting a straight question – are you in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment? – and then allowing the Oireachtas to legislate.
‘My personal view is that we need to be able to see what sort of legislation that will be.
‘I think Irish people would like to know what they’re voting on, what the potential legislation is.
‘I think that would be helpful for people,’ she said.
Ms O’Connell has expressed her disappointment that Fine Gael members are to be given a free vote on the issue when it comes before the Oireachtas, saying that she is a great believer in the ‘whip system and collective responsibility’.
‘There is potential there for division. We all work very closely within Fine Gael and I do think that if somebody has a particular view, I think it’s up to the Fine Gael members of the committee to disseminate the information down.’
The Deputy said her colleagues in the Oireachtas would have to be brave and respect the wishes of the public, with the polls showing there is an appetite for change.
She added that the upcoming referendum, which is likely to take place in May or June next year, would require the country to reflect on itself.
‘I’m looking at it from the perspective that 85% of European countries have pretty much free access to abortion under 12 weeks.
‘We have to question why they voted like that in the rest of Europe,’ she said.
‘It’s not because they’re all liberal lunatics. There’s a reason why it ended up that way.
‘We have to consider why the UN said that sending women away – Amanda Mellet for instance, with her child that wasn’t going to survive – why they said that was cruel, inhumane and degrading.
‘The UN doesn’t say things like that easily. Do we honestly think that we’re right and everybody else is wrong?
‘The UN is wrong? Do we really think that?’
james.ward@dailymail.ie
‘Trusting women to make right decision’ ‘Should be putting a straight question’