Irish bishop says Catholics should ‘resist’ new abortion regime

Bishop Kevin Doran said the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill had no moral force and ought to be resisted

The Tablet

Sarah Mac Donald

Obstetricians and GPs have expressed doubt that Ireland’s new abortion service will be ready for 1 January as they believe the timeframe for establishing the service is too tight. . .

. . . Meanwhile, the bishops, in a statement following their Winter General Meeting in Maynooth, said they were dismayed that, for the most part, the voices of those who voted against abortion in May’s referendum have been ignored. . .

. . . Separately, Bishop Kevin Doran has called on doctors, nurses, teachers and pharmaceutical workers to “resist” the new abortion regime. . . [Full text]

Bishop urges professionals to resist abortion laws

The Irish Independent

Susan Gately

A leading bishop has called on doctors, nurses, teachers and pharmaceutical workers to “resist” the new abortion regime.

He urged such professionals to “stick together” in their resistance to the new law.

Bishop Kevin Doran said the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill, which is before the Seanad this week, has no moral force and must be resisted. “Catholics have no obligation whatsoever to obey this law,” he told the Irish Independent. . . [Full text]

Catholics need not obey laws contrary to faith, Archbishop says

The Irish Times

Patsy McGarry

Catholics cannot be forced to obey laws which go against the basic principles of their faith, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said. . .

Concerning the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill, which goes before the Seanad this week, Archbishop Martin said, “There’s a clear Catholic teaching that if legislation is against the basic principles of faith of people that they can’t be forced to carry it out. ” . . . [Full text]

Doctors divided as HSE rushes to tick boxes on abortion

Pressure is mounting for the January 1 start date for termination services to be put back, writes Maeve Sheehan

Sunday Independent

Maeve Sheehan

HERE are 22 days to go before the roll-out of abortion services on January 1. It should be a historic occasion when the overwhelming support shown by Irish voters for a woman’s right to choose becomes reality.

But as the deadline looms, disquiet among some doctors that it is ambitious to the point of being unsafe has grown louder.

Doctors who campaigned strongest for a Yes vote in the referendum are now questioning the January 1 start date, chosen by Health Minister Simon Harris, and complaining about the lack of clarity. . . [Full text]

GP out-of-hours surgeries to be ‘exempt from abortions’

Doctors warn January rollout ‘too rushed’, but minister ‘won’t waiver’

Irish Independent

Eilish O’Regan

WOMEN will not be able to secure a medical abortion from GP out-of-hours surgeries, the Irish Independent has learned.

The GP service, which provides medical cover from 6pm to 8am, has become the first port of call for an increasing number of patients due to a shortage of doctors.

Dr Ken Egan, chairman of the National Association of GP Co-ops, said a woman seeking an abortion would not be classified as an emergency which is the service out-of-hours doctors provide. . . [Full text]