Minister in U-turn over comments on abortion poll rerun
Pro-life campaigners’ outrage at Regina Doherty’s ‘ignorance’ gaffe
SOCIAL Protection Minister Regina Doherty has rowed back on comments that appeared to suggest the Government was contemplating a second abortion referendum if the first one was rejected.
Ms Doherty made the political gaffe during an official visit to Paris to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
She claimed campaigners for repealing the Eighth Amendment will not accept a No result and that she had previously held pro-life views because she was ignorant.
During her visit to Paris last Friday Ms Doherty said: ‘The people who have brought us and who have been very vocal on this issue for a number of years, they are certainly not going to accept a No.
‘There is a growing cohort of people that have woken up in the last number of years. And maybe a lot of people who have already been awake for a number of years on this issue but just maybe weren’t being listened to.
‘That isn’t acceptable. We have abortion in Ireland. Whether people want to admit it or not, there are 5,000 women every year leaving our shores to make personal decision for their own health and choices in a different country.
‘I actually don’t think it’s viable as a Government (that) we can choose to ignore that any longer.
‘All that has happened to me in the last number of years is that I have now become pro-women. I don’t agree with
‘All that’s happened is that I’ve become pro-women’
abortion. It’s not something that I think I could do. And that’s because of my faith, upbringing. I’m a Catholic.
‘But that doesn’t mean that I have a right to choose and make a decision for you. And that’s where I’ve changed in the last couple of years.
‘It was only when I informed myself that I realised just how ignorant I actually was.’
Her remarks provoked an angry response from the campaign group ProLife, which accused Ms Doherty of being ‘arrogant and deeply undemocratic’.
Last night ProLife spokeswoman Cora Sherlock said: ‘Regina Doherty’s comments are very revealing and have let slip a mind-set where the democratic vote of the people is simply a formality which can be ignored if the Repeal side loses.
‘Her comments show contempt towards voters and are extraordinary from a member of Government.
‘The minister’s assertion that her previous support for the pro-life position was due to “ignorance” is an insult to the many families all over Ireland who say their children are alive thanks to the Eighth Amendment.
‘If people end up voting No they’ll do so for all the reasons Regina Doherty wants to pretend don’t exist, like the fact that repeal is about opening the door to abortion on demand, no matter how it is parcelled and packaged as something other than that.’
However, yesterday the minister moved to distance herself from her remarks and she insisted that she did not wish to offend anyone. Ms Doherty said: ‘My reference to ignorance was referring specifically to my lack of knowledge of why women make the decision they do.’
Meanwhile, referring to concerns that she appeared to be advocating the holding of a second referendum if the first poll, scheduled to take place in May or June of this year, failed she added: ‘I was making the point that Repeal campaigners are determined to secure a Yes after so many years. I am certainly not contemplating a second referendum.’
Earlier this month, the Government published the wording of what will replace the Eighth Amendment if the Irish people vote in favour of repeal later this year.
It reads, ‘Provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancies.’
It would empower the Dáil and Seanad to legislate on the issue.