‘I’m Pro Life’ Deputy Peter Fitpatrick
LOUTH TD SAYS HE FOLLOWED CONSCIENCE IN VOTING AGAINST PROPOSAL FOR REFERENDUM
DUNDALK TD Peter Fitzpatrick says that he is following his conscience in calling for the Eight Amendment to be retained and has criticised party leader, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, for committing to a referendum before the work of the Oireachtas committee was completed
The Fine Gael TD joined with Independents Senator Ronan Mullen and Mattie McGrath TD in calling for the 1983 amendment to be retained, saying it has saved thousands of lives.
‘I am Pro Life,’ he said of his decision to break ranks with the other Fine Gael members on the committee.
‘ The bottom line is I have to do what I feel is right by my own conscience.’
‘From day one I made it quite clear, that in my view there are two people involved, the unborn child and the mother,’ he explained. ‘ The Eight Amendment to me is protecting the life of the unborn child and to me that is very important.’
He had only agreed to sit on the Oireachtas Committee into the Eight Amendment as the whip had been removed from Fine Gael members.
However, he is critical of the committee’s decision to recommend that the Eighth Amendment be removed or changed at an early stage in the hearings.
‘It was a big mistake to take that vote after just three weeks of work,’ he said. ‘ That meant there was going to be a Referendum even though a lot of the Pro Life side hadn’t been able to give their views and felt that it was a waste of time coming before the committee.’
He was also ‘disappointed’ that the Taoiseach had in affect ‘rubber stamped’ the holding of a Referendum before the committee had issued its findings.
‘I feel that the recommendations (of the committee) are wrong,’ he continued. ‘I think we are allowing unrestricted abortion up to twelve weeks and, as we have a habit of following the UK, that will be increased.’
He had received ‘very few negative comments’ over his stance, he said. ‘ The people of my constituency have been very supportive. I have also got ‘great support a lot of colleagues on the back benches of Fine Gael and other parties.’