Justice Minister accused of ‘politically motivated’ attack on former colleagues

Staff Reporter

The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has accused Justice Minister Francis Fitzgerald of misleading the public and of mounting a politically motivated attack against her former Fine Gael colleagues who voted against last year’s abortion legislation.

In two separate interviews recently, Minister Fitzgerald said she found it extraordinary that Fine Gael members of the Oireachtas left the party over legislation “to save the lives of women”.

PLC Deputy Chairperson, Cora Sherlock said: “Minister Fitzgerald knows perfectly well that her former colleagues did not vote against life-saving treatments for women in pregnancy.

“They voted against the Government’s abortion legislation which had nothing to do with saving the lives of women.

“The fact that Minister Fitzgerald attacked her former colleagues out of the blue without provocation twice in one week suggests the motivation is purely political. Obviously Fine Gael is very nervous about the potential for political change in Ireland,” she said.