Cathal Barry
A clear majority of newly elected Fianna Fáil TDs have said they are opposed to the repeal of the pro-life amendment to the Irish Constitution.
In addition, of the 181 candidates who told pro-abortion groups that they favour the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, 80% failed to be elected.
Fianna Fáil has emerged in a much stronger position from the General Election than commentators predicted with more than 40 seats, up from 19 in the last Dáil.
Out of the total number of Fianna Fáil TDs, 29 have told the Pro-Life Campaign that they oppose the repeal of the Eighth Amendment or else they voted against the abortion law of 2013 which allows for abortion when a woman is deemed suicidal, despite the lack of medical evidence that abortion is a treatment for suicidal feelings.
Overall, pro-life voices are much stronger in the new Dáil than in the outgoing one. Labour has lost dozens of seats.
They are extremely unlikely to be in the next Government, and if they are will have far less influence.
Free vote
In addition, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has promised his TDs that they will have a free vote next time on the issue of abortion. It is unknown how many Fine Gael TDs are opposed to the repeal of the amendment because they were told by party headquarters not to respond to queries from either side about it.
Independents who said during the election campaign that they are against the repeal include Michael Healy-Rae, Mattie McGrath and Michael Fitzmaurice.
However, all of the Fine Gael TDs who lost the party whip in 2013 by voting against the abortion law of that year (the ‘Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act’) failed in their re-election bids, namely Lucinda Creighton, Billy Timmons, Terence Flanagan, Fidelma Healy-Eames and Peter Mathews. In addition, Sinn Féin and the Anti-Austerity Alliance have grown in size and they are both in favour of a more permissive abortion law.
Among the Fianna Fáil TDs who have said they are opposed to the repeal of the life equality amendment are senior figures such as Chief Whip Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Finance spokesperson Michael McGrath and former Deputy Leader Éamon Ó Cuív.
Outcome
Commenting on the election results, Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro-Life Campaign said: “Overall the outcome of the election is positive from a pro-life perspective. There is no room for complacency however given how the media and others have behaved on the abortion issue in recent years.
“But with the heavy losses suffered by the Labour Party and the number of new TDs who openly support the pro-life position, there are grounds for hope.
“Fianna Fáil and Independents received the lion’s share of the pro-life vote in the recent election. Fine Gael lost out big time on this occasion after breaking their pro-life promise not to legislate for abortion. And that’s as it should be,” she said.