The overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States has “enormously energised” the pro-life people in Ireland, organisers of a rally claimed as a large crowd in Dublin braved the poor weather to demand an end to abortion.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly made clear in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s ruling that it would have “zero impact on the provision of healthcare services in Ireland” and Taoiseach Micheál Martin referred to the court’s decision as “quite shocking”.
However, organisers of the Rally for Life believe the decision could change how the world views the issue:
“What I think is that the news about Roe v Wade being overturned has actually enormously energised people,” organiser Niamh Uí Bhriain enthused to Newstalk.
“I think there’s a new momentum right across the world, not just in America. but in Croatia, in Hungary, in Poland - even in the UK - you’re seeing moves towards new restrictions on abortion.”
Battle of the bands contender n.2 #RallyForLife #RethinkAbortion pic.twitter.com/X0uVGZOBq8
— Rallyforlife (@theRallyforLife) July 2, 2022
Ireland voted to repeal the 8th amendment by a landslide margin of 67% to 33% in 2018 but Mrs Uí Bhriain believes that the reality of abortion in Ireland is not what people were promised:
“What we’re saying is we were told abortion would be rare,” she continued.
“There have been 21,000 abortions over three years.
“We were told there’d be no late term abortions, we know that they’re happening in Irish hospitals.
“We were told there would be no disability abortions and look at the Baby Christopher case where parents are being pushed towards abortion after a diagnosis of a severe disability.
“The purpose of the rally is to hold the Government to account and to demand that we rethink and re-examine our abortion law.”
"We have a message for Sinn Féin," says Bernadette Smyth of @PreciousLifeCom. "You imposed an abortion law on the North, but Roe is overturned and The North Is Next. Tiocfaidh Ár Law." #RallyForLife pic.twitter.com/nVgmp4Rott
— Rallyforlife (@theRallyforLife) July 2, 2022
'Hopeful and encouraging signs'
Ahead of the rally, Archbishop Eamon Martin told a congregation in St Saviour’s Church, Dublin that the US ruling was “hopeful and encouraging”:
“Often you face setbacks, because the pro-life message is counter-cultural, and is falsely portrayed as negative, ‘anti-women’, ‘anti-choice’, or lacking in compassion,” the Archbishop told mass goers.
“Sometimes, as in the recent decision of the United States Supreme Court on Roe v Wade, there are hopeful and encouraging signs that the context is shifting and that the rebuilding of a culture of life is possible. ”
Main image: Pro Life protest. Pictured people on a Pro Life demonstration in Dublin this afternoon. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
