Bishop O’Reilly opposed to abortion legislation

The Government’s decision to introduce legislation on abortion to deal with the X case will ultimately lead to a more liberal regime, Bishop of Killaloe Kieran O’Reilly has warned.
Bishop O’Reilly has also requested that the Government conduct a new referendum, which he believes would bring the required clarity for the Supreme Court decision in the X case.
Accusing the Government of misjudging the wishes of the majority of Irish people by introducing legislation on abortion, he also expressed his disappointment the State has decided to go ahead so quickly.
“It now seems the Government are going to be rushed on this issue. It is like as if they want to get it out of the way as quickly as possible. I don’t think people are in the mood for this issue to be dealt with in this way.
“I feel they have misjudged the mood among the vast majority of people who want this matter looked at far more closely,” he said.
The Government has announced it will legislate for abortion in circumstances where the mother’s life is at risk. Abortion is currently illegal in Ireland except where there is “a real and substantial risk to a mother’s life”.
However, successive governments have opted not to enact legislation to give certainty to doctors as to when terminations can be carried out and under what circumstances.
Bishop O’Reilly predicted any new abortion legislation would be the thin end of the wedge as pro-choice lobbyists have stated this is only the first stage and claim they want legislation for a more liberal regime.
“New legislation will bring abortion into law. Those who propose it want more liberal abortion. Bit by bit it would be chipped away over the years, leading to a full environment for abortion that we don’t have.
“You only have to look at the people who are on the other side of the debate; for them it is the first step and then they want the next stage and I presume they will move on that.
“I am only repeating what they are saying and I am not putting words in their mouths,” he said.
Bishop O’Reilly said he was terribly saddened by the death of Mrs Savita Halappanavar who was 17 weeks pregnant when she died at University College Hospital, Galway. Her family claims she had requested an abortion but her requests were turned down on a few occasions.
The bishop said his niece had given birth to a baby this week and noted that family members are always concerned that everything would go right in the lead up to a birth.
He claimed the Government’s decision to introduce legislation is not necessary, as the European Court of Human Rights had only sought clarification.
“Clarification could have been given on the procedures and methods that would be applied in a hospital by the Medical Council and teams of professionals. Clarification could be given for the C case in a manner that would be satisfactory to the European Court of Human Rights and in keeping with all medical developments.
He believes regulation is the best way forward, backed up by the best medical guidance from the Medical Council to support mother and child.

Asked if it was wise to ­legislate for abortion in cases where suicide is a threat to the life of a mother, he stressed ­bishops believe it wouldn’t  be sufficient just for a mother to say she was at risk of dying by suicide to justify an abortion.
“Suicide is so complex and mysterious, which has come so much to the fore in Ireland because of so many tragic deaths.
“You need a far more profound understanding of the complexity of suicide.
“I don’t believe the right to life of the unborn child should be taken on the basis of the suicide risk,” he said.
Even if only one abortion was permitted as a result of the new legislation, he warned that the fact it would be copperfastened in law is a retrograde step.
He is confident that the views expressed by the Catholic bishops will be represented when the abortion legislation is discussed by the Oireachtas Health Committee in the new year.
He pledged that bishops would continue to be proactive in presenting their case opposing abortion legislation.
What can be done to address the concerns expressed by pro-choice groups who believe the lack of clarity is putting the lives of women at risk?
“We can only deal with the fact that we are one of the best in terms of maternal deaths and have to wait until the Galway investigations are completed before reaching any conclusions.
“What is wrong with giving the medical profession the best regulatory controls in order to operate the current system as it is?”
Bishop O’Reilly expressed concern with the Government’s decision to focus narrowly on legislation, putting aside the referendum option.  He said the Catholic bishops had noted that the expert group hadn’t looked at everything and there was an option of a referendum not taken up.
He claimed that the expert group was told to exclude the option of having a referendum as part of its terms of reference.
Asked if regulations were the best way of tackling this issue, which would leave gynaecologists in a difficult situation, he acknowledged that some gynaecologists had requested legislation to deal with this complex issue.
He acknowledged bishops are talking as lay people in an area of medical expertise, which had developed and evolved tremendously over the last 20 or 30 years.
“In Ireland, we can be rightly proud of the medical facilities we have. You are always relying on the best medical judgement of gynaecologists, who have given this continually.
“One of the huge attributes of our medical system is the quality of medical people operating it that are committed to mother and child.”
Health Minister James Reilly said the Government is committed to ensuring the “safety of pregnant women in Ireland is maintained and strengthened”.
“For that purpose, we will clarify in legislation and ­regulation what is available by way of treatment to a woman when a pregnancy gives rise to a threat to a woman’s life.”
“We will also clarify what is legal for the professionals who must provide that care, while at all times taking full account of the equal right to life of the unborn child,” he said.