DUBLIN, Ireland, Feb 16, 2001 (LSN.ca) – A press release from the United Nations Population Fund today indicated that Ireland had pledged to nearly double its funding of the abortion promoting group. Ireland pledged to raise its contribution from $1.2 million this year to $2.3 million in 2003.The release also indicates that Norway pledged to raise its contribution from $23 million last year to $24.3 million this year. “These substantial increases are a boost to our efforts to provide reproductive health services to women and men in the developing countries, where the needs are the greatest,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid.
The news comes after the European Union pledged to fill the gap in funding to abortion promoting groups left by the newly reinstated Mexico City Policy of the United States. The news will come as a big disappointment to Dana Rosemary Scallon, a former Presidential candidate and popular singer in Ireland who is currently a member of the European Parliament. The Irish Examiner reported only today that Scanlon reacted to the announcement that the EU would cover the funds saying, “The Irish Government must now clarify its position in relation to the EU stance regarding the financing of organizations which support abortion. Taxpayers’ money should never be used to promote or support abortion.” She noted that such funding was “at variance with the Irish Constitution.”
See the coverage of Dana’s remarks in the Irish Examiner at: https://www.westernpeople.ie/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=981726189