The ECHR announced on December 16th 2010 that the woman known as ‘C’ who was suffering from Cancer and fell pregnant had her human rights violated. The fact that she was unable to receive abortion treatment in Ireland was a violation ofArticle 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights – the right to respect one’s private and family life. Well the Irish have never very good at minding their own business anyway so we needed a telling-off there from mainland Europe. She was one of three women supported by the IFPA (Irish Family Planning Association) who took the case against Ireland but ‘A’ and ‘B’ were unable to win their cases. The other woman ‘A’ suffered with alcoholism, unemployed, in poverty and had four children already which social welfare had taken from her due to her condition. As she recovered, it was possible that ‘A’ could be reunited with her children and she didn’t want to risk another pregnancy affecting her chances of a successful recovery. The woman known as ‘B’, had an unplanned pregnancy and was informed that she was at risk of an ectopic pregnancy. She took the safe option of abortion but had to travel to England like the others.
The hearing overall has been welcome news to pro-choice supporters however it does not change the law in Ireland and thank goodness for that, waffles outdated government officials after hearing the result.
Our former radical minister for Health, Mary Harney, said the government would have to “reflect carefully”, on the issue i.e. dodge the bullet until the next government gets elected. This is the same coward who was responsible for the two-tiered Health service in Ireland which if you can’t afford insurance, you’re going to have to wait no matter how serious your condition including life-threatening illnesses. This minister loved her private healthcare service so much she didn’t mind hearing reports of people being left to die on hospital trollies.
Unfortunately for pro-choice campaigners and activists the results left militant pro-life group, ‘Youth defence’, on the war path calling a demonstration on the following Saturday outside the GPO and a family planning clinic in Dublin city centre. And there’s nothing like extreme zealots running up and down the streets interrupting my shopping afternoon, I’ll have you know. (See pictures attached.) The group lined along O’Connell Street with graphic posters and had also set up a makeshift crib with a Legion of Mary group handing out rosary beads, crosses and cards and praying for ‘lost’ babies at Christmas. There were no displays or prayers of sympathy for the women at the ABC case. According to these demonstrators who are holier-than-thou, those harpies will not be making it to heaven.
The result has been good news for pro-choice groups and the IFPA who supported the case but be warned, extremists will be out with shock propaganda if a referendum is going to be called for. Everyone on the green isle should batter down the hatches and prepare for assault from pro-lifers and religious fundamentalists in the near future.
Link:
http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?action=html&documentId=878721&portal=hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&table=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DEA398649
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