Protection of Conscience Project News
Service, not Servitude
Irish Independent (Letters)
THE deep divide in public opinion on the abortion issue was reflected in the Dáil debate on the Government’s Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill. From reports on the recent meeting of the Irish College of General Practitioners, it is evident this divide is also present among doctors . . . [Full text]
Dear Mr. Harris,
We are dedicated, hardworking nurses and midwives who care for patients from conception to natural death. We have a conscientious commitment to life which accords with the values inherent in Our Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics. We respect and defend the dignity of every stage of human life and we have a responsibility to make every valid or reasonable effort to protect the life and health of pregnant women and their unborn babies.
We are extremely concerned that the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018, in particular, Part 3 Section 24 (3)*, will seriously impact on our ability to practise. In 2018 two Scottish midwives Mary Doogan and Connie Wood were forced to quit their jobs when they refused to oversee abortions. For the first time this legislation, which differs from the 2013 Act, will permit the intentional ending of the life of the unborn child up to birth. For us as nurses and midwives participation in termination of pregnancy defined in relation to a pregnant woman, as a medical procedure which is intended to end the life of a foetus, is morally objectionable and conflicts with our conscientious commitment to life.
Participation includes any supervision, delegation, planning or supporting of staff involved in termination of pregnancy. We do not want to be discriminated against by our employers or victimised as employees if we exercise our right to freedom of conscience.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis in the Health Service and as yet there has been no effort made by you as Minister for Health to consult the nursing or midwifery professions on the clinical implications of this bill.
We are calling on you as Minister for Health:
(a) to consult our professions in relation to this legislation and
(b) to support the amendments that have been tabled to protect our right to freedom of conscience so we will not be forced out of our professions.
Yours sincerely,
Catherina O’Sullivan RPN Secretary,
Fiona McHugh, Clinical Paediatric Nurse Specialist
PRO and Nurses and Midwives for Life Ireland
*Section 24 (3) A person who has a conscientious objection referred to in subsection (1) shall, as soon as may be, make such arrangements for the transfer of care of the pregnant woman concerned as may be necessary to enable the woman to avail of the termination of pregnancy concerned.
Irish Examiner
The Nurses&Midwives4Life Ireland group have claimed that Minister for Health Simon Harris and FF leader Micheal Martin have refused to meet them and discuss their concerns over conscientious objection legislation.
The group today said that in three weeks almost 500 nurses and midwives on the NMBI register have signed a petition for Simon Harris calling on him to protect freedom of conscience and to support the amendments in relation to freedom of conscience. . . [Full text]
The Irish Times
Bitter, chaotic, uncivil and vitriolic are just some of the words used by doctors to describe the stormy extraordinary general meeting of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) that took place behind closed doors on Sunday.
The meeting highlighted deep divisions within the medical profession on abortion (no less than in the rest of society) and on the specific issue of conscientious objection. . . [Full text]
Irish Examiner
The prospect of women being able to access abortion services in Ireland in just four weeks’ time is looking increasingly uncertain following the escalation of a row between family doctors and their training body — and the snail’s pace at which the proposed legislation is moving through the Dáil.
An extraordinary general meeting of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) held at the behest of members was thrown into disarray yesterday when dozens of doctors walked out in protest that their views were not being taken onboard ahead of the January 1 deadline for the introduction of abortion. . . [Full text]