THIRTY WOMEN PRESENT CAITRÍONA RUANE WITH OPEN LETTER PROTESTING AGAINST SINN FÉIN’S PETITION OF CONCERN
Today thirty women gathered at Stormont to meet with Sinn Féin Party Whip, Caitríona Ruane, to present her with an open letter in protest against Sinn Féin’s Petition of Concern which blocked Alastair Ross MLA’s amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill. This amendment would have prohibited commercial provision of abortion ‘services’ in Northern Ireland and closed the door on the Marie Stopes centre in Belfast.
It should be remembered that in March 2013, despite an overwhelming presentation of 250,000 petitions calling for the protection of our unborn children, Sinn Féin signed a Petition of Concern which blocked an amendment that would have closed Marie Stopes. Today, Sinn Féin has once again disregarded the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland.
In response to the Justice Committee’s call for evidence on Alastair Ross’ amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, the amendment which Caitríona Ruane and her fellow Assembly Members debated and voted on today, the people of Northern Ireland were motivated with great zeal and determination to support this amendment. On 17th September 2014, Precious Life presented to the Justice Committee a total of 35,000 responses to its public consultation. This was the largest response to any consultation process the Northern Ireland had ever seen.
Today Sinn Féin once again scrambled to keep Marie Stopes open. Having gained the thirty signatures required to pass their Petition of Concern, they succeeded in blocking the amendment. Sinn Féin disregarded the voices of 35,000 people who made clear that Marie Stopes or any private abortion provider is not wanted or needed in Northern Ireland. Notwithstanding the overwhelming support for the amendment, thirty signatures are just what Marie Stopes needed to remain open in Northern Ireland.
Bernadette Smyth, the director of Precious Life, said:
‘Today, Caitríona Ruane and Sinn Féin will no doubt regurgitate the usual nonsense that this amendment is ‘an attempt to restrict the right of a woman to obtain a termination in life threatening circumstances’.
‘If they claim that any pregnant woman has died because she did not receive medical care, we challenge them to provide medical evidence and explain how directly and intentionally destroying her unborn child would have saved her life. Pregnant women receive the best obstetric care in Northern Ireland because both the mother and her unborn child are treated as patients. All Marie Stopes promises to do is to kill our innocent unborn children. Nothing more, nothing less.’
The open letter presented to Caitríona Ruane today condemned Sinn Féin’s defence of the murderous and bloodthirsty Marie Stopes centre that has come into our country to kill our unborn children:
‘Sinn Féin claims that it does not support abortion on demand. Yet how can you and your party defend your support for Marie Stopes, an organisation notorious for killing innocent unborn children and pushing for worldwide abortion on demand?
‘Contrary to the 1916 Proclamation, your Petition of Concern will consign us to the destruction of future generations of the Irish people. You are treating with contempt the signatories of the Irish Proclamation who declared the cherishing of all the children of the nation equally.’