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Home Page > News > Government split between Fine Gael and Labour Party looms on abortion debate

Government split between Fine Gael and Labour Party looms on abortion debate

Pat Rabbitte tells Cardinal Brady to stay out of political debate

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, August 27, 2012, 7:52 AM

Updated Monday, August 27, 2012, 7:52 AM

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Cardinal Sean Brady

Photo by Telegraph

Fine Gael deputies have welcomed the opportunity to speak to Church leaders opposed to any change in Ireland’s abortion law – putting them in direct conflict with their coalition partners.

A number of high profile Fine Gael members of the Irish parliament have said they will discuss the abortion issue with the Catholic hierarchy.

Their stance is in stark contrast to that of Labour Party high-flier and Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte who has told the Church to stay out of the political debate.

Rabbitte issued his ‘directive’ after Cardinal Sean Brady said the church would oppose any moves towards abortion or gay marriage.

Cardinal Brady also confirmed the Church would lobby deputies on the issue, called for a referendum as the ‘only solution’ and said the Catholic hierarchy would vigorously resist any moves to bring in abortion.

In response, Rabbitte told RTE Radio: “I was surprised when I heard the cardinal’s reference to lobbying and engaging, canvassing public representatives.

“I don’t welcome the cardinal promising to engage in the political campaign.

“I have no objection to the cardinal setting down his traditional view. But I think we have reached the stage in this country where we acknowledge the role of different faiths in our society and there ought to be separation between church and state.”

The Labour Party bigwig also said the Government saw no necessity to have a referendum.

Now the Irish Independent reports that Fine Gael deputy for Mayo John O’Mahony believes nobody should be ‘precluded’ from speaking to politicians in the debate.

O’Mahony said: “I talk to all sides on big issues, including the church and I will be doing so again on this one.

“I don’t think anyone should be precluded from talking to us. There was a time when the perception was the cardinal of the day would dictate policy, but that’s not the case any more.”

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esatdigiwank | Aug 31, 2012, 07:06 AM EDT

The apparition at Kn#ck sounds more like a hallucination to me..Pure post-Famine superstition bunkum, a never-ending cashcow for a one-horse Mayo village. Seanmor also likely believes in the existence of Barney the Dinosaur, that it has its own zip-code.

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hermitTalker | Aug 28, 2012, 02:04 PM EDT

The birth control pill was only invented in 1960 by a Dr Rock ( trying to get women who were infertile to become pregnant). The morning after pill was not discovered until relatively recently, so this report is not accurate seanmor as I know the facts.EITHER WAY; This Government should get the prize for making the most political mis-judgments in their first year in office. I admire you seanmor for defending life and the others. The Lefties do not have the sense to tackle the debt, head off massive social unrest but instead push for abortion and same gender unions.

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Seanmor | Aug 27, 2012, 04:41 PM EDT

While touring the Mediterranean Sea with the U.S 6th Fleet in the summer of 1961, I read of 6 youngEuropean nuns who were raped by native men in the Congo. Their Rev. Mother was a practical, responsible woman who had prepraed for such a barbaric event, so she gave each victim the "morning after pill" to ensure that none would become pregnant.Most reasonable pro-life people with agree with the caution applied by the supervising nun, even if the Vatican didn't. In the 70s I took courses in a sercular university (under the G.I Bil)l.The book we had for the biology course stated: "Life begins at the moment of conception". Extremests in the pro-abortion movement wiould have us believe that a baby is not human until fully born, but I disagree.

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aloistmartin | Aug 27, 2012, 03:35 PM EDT

The Democrats, The Communists, even the Bourgeois Monarchist Aristocrat pandering Church Itself !..? Nevertheless, am I. familiar with no "Book" on the Nature and Purpose of Human Civilization, as Thorough, as the Judeo-Christian Bible.Jean-Jacques Rousseau`s The Social Contract, John Jay`s The Federalist, Sir Thomas More`s Utopia, Karl Marx`s Communist Manifesto, Hitler`s Mein Kamph; It all leads back to Abraham, Isaiah, The Gospel, and St.Paul.

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DanOLoingsigh | Aug 27, 2012, 02:43 PM EDT

Family values are not confined to those who accept accounts of apparitions, at Knock or anywhere else…I value my family, and would not let any daughter of mine go through an unwanted pregnancy, just because of the doctrinal beliefs or values of others…women are entitled to freedom of choice…there are many complex reasons women exercise that choice…let them do so without interference from others with different beliefs…

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Jacob | Aug 27, 2012, 02:28 PM EDT

The sectarian statelet misnamed the "Republic" of Ireland actually sought an injunction to prevent a 14 year old rape victim from travelling to the UK for an abortion. And Seanmor, a country which makes policy based on bogus apparitions is not really going to offer justice to its citizens, is it?

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Seanmor | Aug 27, 2012, 01:42 PM EDT

Not only are abortions forbidden in the Southern Irish state, they are also prohibited in the North, since that statelet has always been exempted form G.B.'s liberal abortion laws. As I read the comment by marcustam I was reminded that the apperition at Knock in 1879 included the Blessed Mother, her son Jesus as the lamb, her husband Joseph, and her 'adopted' son John the Apostle. The Holy Family's 'visit' to Mayo should have reenforced family values in all of Ireland, and that included protecting the unborn.

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DanOLoingsigh | Aug 27, 2012, 08:48 AM EDT

"Women in need of abortion services should, as a matter of international law and frankly, human decency, be able to count on support from their government as they face a difficult situation, but in Ireland they are actively stonewalled, stigmatized, and written out." Marianne Mollmann, women's rights advocacy director, Human Rights Watch, 2010.

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marcustam | Aug 27, 2012, 08:26 AM EDT

"The precious gift of God, especially the life of the unborn child. He or she is a living member of the human race, like you and me, created in the image and likeness of God, for greater things, to love and to be loved. We pray to our Lady that all may come to realise that no church, no government, or mother has the right to kill the unborn child at any stage.." –Mother Teresa speaking in knock Co.Mayo in Ireland in 1993

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