PROJECT JUSTICE: THE LARGEST CONSULTATION RESPONSE IN STORMONT HISTORY
(18/09/2014) History was made today at Stormont when Northern Ireland’s leading Pro-Life organization Precious Life, presented 35,000 Project Justice submission postcards to the Justice Committee. This was by far the largest response to any consultation process that the Northern Ireland Assembly has ever seen.
Precious Life launched the Project Justice Campaign in direct response to the Justice Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s call for evidence on the Criminal Justice Bill and the Proposed Amendments. The campaign gave the people of Northern Ireland an opportunity to show their support for Mr Jim Wells MLA’s proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill and its prohibition of commercial provision of abortion ‘services’ in Northern Ireland. Precious Life printed and distributed thousands of submission postcards outlining the responder’s support for Mr Wells’ amendment. These postcards were distributed in churches and communities throughout Northern Ireland.
Director of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth stated: ‘Without a well-organised and effective response to the public consultation, Marie Stopes could be given the green light. They would not only stay in Northern Ireland, but do what they have threatened to do, and do what they have done in other parts of the world: go into a country where abortion is illegal and break the law in order to change the law.’
Today, on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland, Precious Life is pleased to present to the Justice Committee a total of 35,000 responses to the public consultation. An online petition was also launched with CitizenGO. These responses urged the Justice Committee to adopt Mr Wells’ proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, and ensure that the Marie Stopes centre in Belfast, or any private abortion facility, does not perform abortions in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the presentation in Stormont, DUP MLA Mr Jim Wells said, ‘I am delighted with the huge number of people who have supported my proposed amendment to the Justice Bill. 35,000 postcards of support have arrived from every corner of Northern Ireland and from every community. The Precious Life campaign has really focused people's attention on the need to protect the most vulnerable members of our community - the unborn child.’
He went on to say, 'The last attempt to stop private abortions in Northern Ireland was blocked by those who hid behind the excuse that 'there had been insufficient consultation on the amendment'. The fact that over 35,000 people have supported my amendment clearly confirms that on this occasion there has been intense consultation'. 'The campaign to prevent the killing of the unborn child in private clinics continues with the huge encouragement that so many people are now behind my amendment'
Bernadette commented on today’s presentation: ‘I would like to thank everyone who made their voices heard through this public consultation and made clear that Marie Stopes or any private abortion facility is not welcome in Northern Ireland. She went on to say, ‘it was wonderful to have the clergy from both Catholic and Protestant churches respond to this consultation. This vast diverse response to the Project Justice Campaign reaffirms that the need to protect mothers and their unborn children from abortion transcends any political or religious divide in Northern Ireland.’