Health Minister Leo Varadkar has been attacked by the Pro-Life Campaign after he criticised Ireland’s abortion law as too restrictive and expressed support for the repeal of the Constitutional protection for unborn children known as the ‘Eighth Amendment’.
Minister Varadkar said yesterday that he believes the Eighth Amendment has a “chilling effect” on doctors and that he supports the law being changed so as to allow for the aborting of unborn babies with fatal handicaps.
Responding to a private members bill put down by United Left Alliance TD Clare Daly, Minister Varadkar said that “Speaking as Minister for Health, and also as a medical doctor, and knowing now all that I do now, it is my considered view that the eighth amendment is too restrictive.”
“While it protects the right to life of the mother, it has no regard for her long-term health. If a stroke, heart attack, epileptic seizure happens, perhaps resulting in permanent disability as a result, then that is acceptable under our laws. I don’t think that’s right.”
“Similarly, it forces couples to bring to term a child that has no chance of survival for long outside the womb if at all. Forcing them, against their own judgement, to explain for weeks and months to all enquirers that their baby is dead.”
“I have been present at stillbirths. I know it can be handled well and sensitively but I do not believe anything is served by requiring women or couples to continue with such pregnancies should they not wish to do so when there is no chance of the baby surviving.:
“The eighth amendment continues to exert a chilling effect on doctors. Difficult decisions that should be made by women and their doctors, a couple or the next-of-kin where there is no capacity, and on the basis of best clinical practice, are now made on foot of legal advice. That isn’t how it should be.”
However, Mr Varadkar said that he did not support abortion on demand, and considers himself pro-life.
“I consider myself to be pro-life in that I accept that the unborn child is a human life with rights. I cannot, therefore, accept the view that it is a simple matter of choice. There are two lives involved in any pregnancy. For that reason, like most people in the country, I do not support abortion on request or on demand.”
Responding to Minister Varadkar’s remarks, Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro Life Campaign challenged his characterisation of the current law as “restrictive”.
“There is nothing in the new legislation to prevent two psychiatrists who view abortion as harmless from signing off on abortions, secure in the knowledge that they don’t have to meet any evidence-based test. Contrary to what Minister Varadkar now claims, there is absolutely nothing restrictive about such a law in practice.
“What is truly chilling about the current abortion debate is the way the unborn child throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy has been totally written out of the discussion. There is nothing humane, liberal or compassionate about empty talk of protecting and respecting the unborn while bowing to the demands of those who want all remaining protection for the unborn child stripped out of our laws, which would be the effect of repealing the Eighth Amendment.”