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A LABOUR TD has said that the party “has not voted against the idea of legislating for abortion”.
Ann Phelan TD was speaking following the defeat of Deputy Clare Daly’s abortion bill during Private Members’ Business in the Dáil last night.
Deputy Phelan said that the party “is determined to act on the Expert Group report on abortion and I call on all concerned citizens to help us to deliver the necessary legislation and regulation”.
She said the vote last night “was against a motion to expedite a Bill that did not take into account the recommendations of the Expert group, did not tease out sufficiently the sensitive and complex risk of suicide and, critically, did not command the support of either the Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil deputies who remain to be convinced as to the merit of legislation on X”.
She added: “Our vote was for more time and legal clarity, not against the proposal to legislate at all.”
Last night, the bill was defeated by 101 votes to 27. Thirty eight TDs did not vote on the bill, and told TheJournal.ie this was for a variety of reasons.
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On behalf of the Labour Party, may I please announce that the Labour Party fully and decisively supports the idea of legislating for abortion but we remain adamantly opposed to voting for legislating for abortion. We support the idea of equality but not equality policies. We support socialism but we are opposed to its implementation. End of Announcement.
Best post of the week. Bravo
Anyone who would vote for ablation is an idiot. Simple as.
On the nail as ever Peter, these folks are making me want to start throwing stuff, or maybe up.
John Hayes
“Anyone who would vote for ablation is an idiot. Simple as”
From Wiki;
“Ablation is removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. Examples of ablative materials are described below and include spacecraft material for ascent and atmospheric reentry, ice and snow in glaciology, biological tissues in medicine, and passive fire protection materials.”
It’s used as a treatment for endometriosis funnily enough, endometriosis can be a debilitatingly painful condition caused by the cells that form as womb lining (endometrium) gathering elsewhere in the abdomen, this builds up each month, as it would in the uterus, and causes immense pain. The actual endometrium sheds once per month (the period). Endometriosis has nowhere to shed *to* and when too much builds up, it needs to be ablated.
Funny you would oppose this treatment for women too.
Of course, it’s probably just a typo, but only an idiot would hit send without proof reading right?
Shanti is on fire tonight! Of course, you’re always on fire – great post. Gave me a nice chuckle! :)
I am not typing this comment. War is peace. Some are more equal than others. Black is the new white.
The worst coalition government ever.
I’m no fan of Labour but to be fair to them they ARE in favour of abortion. Not just legislating for the X Case but for full abortion in Ireland. The way they’re going about it doesn’t give off that impression but there’s no doubt in my mind that behind the scenes they are pushing this issue tooth and nail against Fine Gael within the coalition.
Yea….bring back Bertie and the Greens!!! Seriously?
David, the problem is that people like me judge by actions, not words. I can see that you are sincere in what you say but Labour suffers a credibility deficit.
David – almost all Labor TD’s voted “no” last night. How much more denial do you need?
Sean – I didn’t say anything about Fianna Fail/Greens. But I would like an alternative government from the other parties.
Higgins you are y.f.g. you voted to legislate x a while ago. Get off your high horse.
they are stalling so they are eligible for pensions same as FG they dont give a toss .Am i wrong ?if not then do something now
David Higgins, if you are not a fan of labour, then why is your party power with them in the government? Please tell the truth and no more soon please. You deny saving a womans life, blame your own party for that, and now you say you don’t support labour either. Either you are a serious psychotic case, or you are trekking porkies… Please help us out understanding your obvious contradictions.
The labour party are nothing but a bunch of fg lapdogs.
You have lost all credibility and influence with the electorate.
You are about to get an electorate kicking that will make the demolition of ff greens look like a trip to mc donalds.
You are a disgrace of a party.
Stalling tactics again- they should have their mind made up 20 years ago after the X case- pathetic excuses from an incompetent government
20 years in politics is a blink of an eye and 3 days is an eternity. Fear of alienating voters is the reason. As they say, whatever you do, do nothing.
Peter,labour alienated the voters when labour rolled over for fg. Like fg you have this country on the verge of riots.
As a party labour has lost credibility and any faith the electorate had in the party.
If you don’t believe me then just tear yourselves away from your smokeblowers and ego strokers and get your overpaid arses out onto the streets to see what the electorate think.
I notice Stagg was a teller for the Níl side. Well, @&!€ you deputy Stagg.
the best party are the ones that are in the opposition. then they get into power and becomes the worst. it will always be that way and always has. playing politics with peoples lifes its their favorite pastime.
totally agree I voted in Labour, now just feel so let down as well as lied to and cheated. I was at a meeting tonight to hear about the new political party ‘Direct Democracy Ireland’ for the first time in ages I felt hope. It really is the alternative. Restoring articles 47 and 48 into the constitution making this country back to the way our forefathers meant for it to be. 90 years old and look at the mess…how much longer are we going to put up with a bunch of corrupt people who only serve the banks and high up civil servants. They don’t represent the people, Irish people who are going hungry, who are out of work, who are losing their homes..sorry went off topic and ranted. Again.
Lorna, I don’t think that you have gone off topic at all. There seems to be an illness and dysfunctional it’s at the heart of representative democracy, especially when a ruthless operation of the whip system ensures a highly homogenised and decision making process totally incompatible with public mood and opinion emerges.
With technology and communications, a more participative and democratically engaged form of democracy should be emerging and possible.
I am very interested in knowing more about Direct democracy Ireland. Good for you to get involved. You may well be ahead of the curve on this.
What is Direct Democracy’s position on abortion?
She said they voted no for more time and clarity… How many years has this been going on for??? LIARS
I say lets have a vote and let the people decide , a simply worded referendum to allow for abortion. Lets see what the majority will say in 2013.
yes and if we had direct democracy we could do this, a number of signatures would need to be collected and then the people could call the referendum.
The essence has to be that a woman has final say over the custody of her own health and bodily integrity…not an unborn possible child. And not even a born child. Adults make the adult choices.
Yeah right Ann we believe you. When you next see your buddy Eamon you might ask him how Frankfurt is these days. There’s credibility and there’s zero credibility and I’m afraid Ann your in the zero end.
Tossers All
Abortion is not the answer 4 the woman or the baby. There is more of a risk of suicide after an abortion than at any stage of a woman’s life. Contraception and fostering / adaption should be promoted pro actively pre and after pregnancy. Most people by a vast majority do not favour abortion. Both mother and baby have an complete and equal right to life, and everything should be done to save both without denying treatment to either. Fine Gael and labour will both learn at the next election that they will lose all their seat gains if they introduce any form of abortion. Live and let live people live and let live
Live and let live? Tell that the unfortunate lady in Galway, tell it to the nurse in Cork who’s family settled a case this week. By the way they are both dead, Maybe you should take your own advise and let people live and make their own choice rather then interfering in something you know nothing about.
There is no real evidence that “There is more of a risk of suicide after an abortion than at any stage of a woman’s life” as you state. In fact, REAL studies conducted by actual psychologists (and not just priests/nuns/Youth Defence types) would indicate that post abortion syndrome is a myth, and those who make the decision for abortion while being in good mental health to begin with experience little or no detrimental affects to their mental health. The women who are suicidal/depressed after abortion were found to be those who were already suicidal/depressed before pregnancy was an issue.
Ironically, adoption which you highlight as something to be promoted instead of abortion actually causes more mental health issues for the mother (and child) over the long term. Can you imagine what it’s like for a woman who, because she has no other option, goes through an unwanted pregnancy, gives birth and then has to wonder all her life what has happened to that child?
You live and let live yourself and don’t be peddling myths.
Oh the hand ringing and the hypocrisy Mr Gilmore.
While you and your buddies in the dail continue to flaff around this issue, pregnant women and indeed the medical professionals who treat them continue to be left in limbo.
Given that women of child bearing age were either in primary school or not even born in 1983, it is now time to hold a referendum which will give us at least the opportunity to undo the damage of the 8th amendment.
Meanwhile we can cover our eyes, continue to export this problem to the uk by the thousands and pretend it doesn’t happen.
The catastrophic Implosion of the Labour Party. In its place we might actually get a proper alternative! Sooo..keep up the good work Labour
Labour ?
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