Pro Life Campaign

Pro Life Campaign
Formation March 1992 (1992-03)[1][2]
Type Social conservative and anti-abortion lobby group
Headquarters Dublin, Ireland
Deputy Chairperson
 Cora Sherlock[3]
Legal Advisor
 William Binchy[4]
Website prolifecampaign.ie

Pro Life Campaign (PLC) is an Irish anti-abortion advocacy organisation. Its primary spokesperson is Cora Sherlock. Its current office is located in Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin.

Foundation

After the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was ratified in September 1983, a number of those involved in that campaign, including some lawyers, decided to initiate legal proceedings through SPUC (Ireland). The targets were two pregnancy advisory agencies in Dublin. The cases started in 1985, won at the Supreme Court of Ireland (1988) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (1992). That same year, the X case arose, and abortion in potentially wide circumstances was endorsed by the Irish Supreme Court.

The group that had planned the SPUC (Ireland) cases at once advised the setting up of the Pro Life Campaign (PLC). Within a week of the court judgement, it had an office in North Great Georges Street and held its first press conference on 10 March. The chairman was Des Hanafin, who had played a vital role in the 1983 campaign.[1][5]

1992 Abortion Referendums

In 1992, in the wake of the X Case, there were three abortion referendums in Ireland (12th, 13th and 14th). The Pro Life Campaign called for a no vote on 12th and 14th Amendment and was strongly opposed to the 13th, but did not call for a No vote.[6]

2002 Abortion Referendum

The Pro Life Campaign campaigned for a Yes vote on the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002 (Ireland).[7][8][9][10] They claimed:

We welcome the proposed 25th Amendment (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill and are calling for a 'YES' vote.
The Amendment restores protection to unborn children. It protects women by ensuring the lawful availability of necessary medical treatment to save their lives[11]

They claimed that the suicide rate increased after an abortion.[12][13]

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013

Every year, the group organized a National Vigil in Dublin. In June 2013, thousands of people turned out for an anti-abortion rally in Dublin city centre, protesting against the legislation that led to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013. A garda source said that it was believed the number of people attending the event may have reached 30,000, though no official figure has been released. Gardaí closed off part of Merrion Square to allow the vigil to take place. Among those who attended was Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte. There were no incidents at the vigil, and no arrests.[14] The crowd heard from Adele Best of the organization Women Hurt who described the pain and suffering that many women face as a result of abortion, but also the hope and healing that comes from helping others to choose a better path. Other speakers to address the event were Jennifer Kehoe, Maria Steen and Íde Nic Mathúna. The event organizers said they were especially pleased with the turnout because the National Vigil for Life was organized by the Pro Life Campaign alone.[15] However, despite these efforts, the bill was approved in the Dáil by 127 votes to 31.[16] It passed its final stage in the Seanad on 23 July 2013, by 39 votes to 14.[17] It was signed into law on 30 July by Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland.[18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Guide to the pressure groups". The Irish Times. 19 September 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 27 July 2016. Pro-Life Campaign (PLC): Started last March
  2. ↑ "About". Retrieved 1 August 2016. The Pro Life Campaign was established in 1992.
  3. ↑ "Cora Sherlock - ProLife Campaign". Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Professor William Binchy - ProLife Campaign". Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Geraldine (20 June 1992). "Anti-abortion group gearing up for the autumn referendum". The Irish Times. p. 5. Retrieved 28 July 2016. The Pro-Life Campaign was already preparing for the next substantive issue on the political agenda at its headquarters in North Great George's Street, in Dublin
  6. ↑ "Pro-Life Campaign not to field candidates". The Irish Times. 5 November 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 27 July 2016. The PLS will campaign for a "No" vote on the proposed constitutional amendment allowing the termination of pregnancy to save the life as distinct from the health ... will also campaign against the amendment allowing for abortion information ... On the travel amendment, the PLC will make no recommendation but is "strongly critical" of it
  7. ↑ "'Reasonable compromise' beset by a tide of controversy". The Irish Times. 8 March 2002. Retrieved 2 August 2016. The bishops gave it their enthusiastic backing and, unlike in 1992, never wavered in their support. The main pro-life groups, the Pro-Life Campaign and the Pro-Life Movement, did likewise.
  8. ↑ "'No' campaigners hope rejection will open door to abortion". The Irish Times. 27 February 2002. Retrieved 2 August 2016. The campaign for a Yes vote is spearheaded by the Pro-Life Campaign
  9. ↑ Kiely, Berry (4 March 2002). "Vote Yes". Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  10. ↑ Ireland's Pro Life Campgaign website at the Wayback Machine (archived 27 May 2002)
  11. ↑ Pro Life Campaign, Archived 27 May 2002 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Statistics on abortion and related issues at the Wayback Machine (archived 10 June 2002)
  13. ↑ McDonagh, Michelle (27 February 2002). "Seasoned anti-abortion activists battle voter confusion in Galway". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 August 2016. She alluded to the Finnish study published in the British Medical Journal which claimed women were six times more likely to commit suicide after abortion than if they went through with their pregnancies
  14. ↑ Barry, Aoife (2013). "Thousands turn out for Pro-Life vigil in Dublin".
  15. ↑ Ertelt, Steven (2013). "Ireland: Record Numbers of Pro-Lifers Attend National Vigil Against Abortion".
  16. ↑ "Ireland's parliament approves 'life-saving' abortion". BBC News. 12 July 2013.
  17. ↑ O'Halloran, Marie (23 July 2013). "Seanad passes abortion legislation by 39 votes to 14". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "President Higgins signs abortion bill into law". Irish Independent. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
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