Ruadhán Jones
Peter Fitzpatrick TD, Carol Nolan TD, Senator Rónán Mullen, Senator Sharon Keogan and Mattie McGrath TD at the launch today of a report on late-term abortion and foetal pain from the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group. Pic John Mc Elroy. The Pro-Life Campaign have welcomed a new report by the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group that explores the growing evidence that unborn babies feel pain.
The report, ‘Late-Term Abortion and Foetal Pain – Proposing a Humane Response’, examines scientific evidence from around the world that shows unborn babies feel pain before 20 weeks.
The report, released today (December 2), calls for provisions to be put in place to ensure unborn babies undergoing late-term abortions are given precautionary pain relief.
In a statement, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro-Life Campaign said it was an “excellent and significant report”.
“It is a really excellent report and a significant contribution to the debate about the evidence showing that unborn babies feel pain,” Ms Mulroy said.
“It is impossible to read this report and not be convinced of the need for precautionary pain relief to be given to unborn babies during late-term abortions.
“The pain relief won’t stop the abortion from happening, but it would at least spare the baby from having to endure excruciating pain when the abortion is taking place.”
Ms Mulroy said that, given the evidence, “it is a terribly cold and callous thing to deliberately deny relief from suffering to a baby about to have his or her life ended”.
She called on Pro-Life supporters to “unite with our elected representatives and demand that the law shows some mercy to babies undergoing late-term abortions”.
“The launch of the report today is a step in the right direction,” Ms Mulroy concluded. “We have to work doubly hard now to ensure pain relief provisions are enshrined in law without delay. I have no doubt the overwhelming majority of the public would back such a proposal.”
The report was launched at an event out side Leinster House on at 11 today. Present at the launch were Peter Fitzpatrick TD, Carol Nolan TD, Senator Rónán Mullen, Senator Sharon Keogan and Mattie McGrath TD of the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group.