Offaly Pro-Life members join thousands in national 'Rally for Life'

Offaly Prolife members joined the many thousands who took part in the Rally for Life last Saturday in Dublin City Centre, calling on the Government to account for the spiralling abortion rate and for the three-day wait before abortion to be retained.

The Rally for Life committee said that the size of the crowd, which packed O’Connell Street, showed the strength of public feeling on the issues in the light of recent revelations. T

he pro-life gathering has taken place in the context of what was described as a “steep and disturbing” rise in the number of abortions taking place in Ireland, and just weeks after a bill seeking to legalise abortion on request to 6 months of pregnancy unexpectedly passed second stage in the Dáil. T

here were 8,156 abortions in 2022 – up from an estimated 6,700 the previous year.

Megan Ní Scealláin spokesperson for Rally for Life said, “we were told abortion would be rare and that there would be safeguards – and now we’re seeing rocketing rates of abortion and a rush to expand the abortion law even further.”

John Egan, Chairperson of the Offaly Pro-life group and attending the Rally agreed that the numbers are a shocking indictment of the government's failure to support women.

“There have been an estimated 31,000 abortions in Ireland so far – more than the population of Kilkenny city. We're seeing calls for the 3-day waiting period before aborting to be scrapped even though about 4,000 women between 2019- 2022 did not return for an abortion after their first consultation.  That means that 4,000 children are living their lives today due to the 3 days of reflection".

Amongst those addressing the rally this year was Consultant Obstetrician at St. Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny, Dr Trevor Hayes, who said that pro-life medical professionals will not be bullied into providing abortions – and that he believes many would leave medicine rather than perform abortions.

“We are told that doctors and nurses should be informed at interview that contracts of employment will specify that it is mandatory to carry out abortions when requested – and that they would be fired if they refused. At a time when our maternal health care services are stretched to breaking point, does the Minister think a bullying tactic like this is going to work?” he told the Rally.

“Apart from the fact that it would be a wholly discriminatory and entirely unethical path for the Department of Health to take, this would also drive many excellent medical professionals away from the health service. Is that what the Minister wants?” Dr Hayes said. “We will not be forced into performing abortions and – this is a message to the Minister today – many of us would rather leave medicine than be involved in abortion, a procedure that is never necessary, is never part of healthcare, and that helps neither mother nor child,” he said to sustained applause.

Also addressing the rally was Conor O’Dowd, a young chef with Down Syndrome whose open letter to Dr Fergal Malone, on the claim that 95% of babies with Down Syndrome diagnosed at the Rotunda were now aborted, attracted national attention and Vicky Wall, who heads up Every Life Counts, known for showing great love and compassion for families in Ireland who have just received a heart-breaking diagnosis of their unborn baby.

Leader of Aontú, Peadar Tobin TD, Independent TD Mattie McGrath, and Independent Senator Sharon Keogan also spoke at the Rally for Life.