Pro-life campaigners sharply condemned the introduction of abortion in Ireland yesterday even as the Government hailed the new law as a “momentous” day for the country.

The day will be remembered in years to come as “the day Ireland abandoned authentic human rights, to sanction the direct and intentional killing of innocent human life”, said Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro-Life Campaign.

She said voters were lied to every step of the way during the referendum campaign by abortion supporters. “The definition of termination of pregnancy in the new legislation says nothing about healthcare or the intervention being necessary to treat a pregnant woman. It simply defines abortion as a procedure ‘intended to end the life’ of an unborn baby. The intent here could not be clearer.”

She said the new law is built on a lie that will not make Ireland a kinder, gentler, more compassionate place as some abortion advocates suggest.

“The fact that the Dáil refused to accept amendments like providing pain relief for unborn babies during late term abortions casts an even darker shadow over this barbaric law. It is a law that doesn’t show as much as a hint of mercy for unborn babies.”

Nonetheless, Dr Cullen vowed to fight on “to expose the lies that were told during the referendum campaign and we look forward to a brighter day at some point in the future when unborn babies in Ireland will once again be welcomed in life and protected in law”.