News

DUBLIN, May 20, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – If the United Nations didn’t know that Ireland is a pro-life country, they know now, after members of the Irish public spoke up passionately in defense of the country’s pro-life laws at the first the first of several public meetings conducted by the Secretariat for the United Nations. The meetings are part of the UN’s review of Ireland’s human rights record,

The Irish pro-life group Youth Defence reported that when the meeting, which was chaired by representatives from Ireland’s Department of Community, Equality & Gaeltacht Affairs, was opened to input from the public it became obvious very quickly that the majority of those attending were concerned with protecting human life from conception.

Kate Bryan of the Life Institute described how numerous speakers from the floor urged the UN to recognize that the Irish people were proud of their record of protecting the human rights of the baby in the womb.

“It was tremendous to hear so many people speaking up for life,” she said. “Speaker after speaker made the point that human rights begin for all of us in the womb, and that the UN needed to recognize the human rights of preborn children.”

“We prepared a brief for the meeting and made it widely available, thus the public were in full possession of the facts going into the meeting,” she added. “The message to the UN from this meeting was very clear: Ireland will not accept abortion.”

One speaker even urged the UN to move towards creating a worldwide ban on abortion. “I would like to call on the UN to lead the world to a universal ban on abortion and to call for the protection of all human life from conception,” the speaker said.

Another speaker questioned the legitimacy of the United Nations and said she believed that as an organization it had lost its moral authority.

However, Des Hogan of the Irish Human Rights Commission, and Ruth Gallagher of Amnesty International were also given a platform to speak to the meeting. Both organizations have taken positions in favor of abortion.

Youth Defence is urging members of the public to attend the meetings, which continue for the next two weeks, and make their voices heard.

Meetings will be held at:

KILKENNY, Friday 20/05/2011, 7-10 pm
The Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle

LIMERICK, Monday 23/05/2011, 7-10 pm
Room 310, Mary Immaculate College, South Circular Road, Limerick

SLIGO, Wednesday 25/05/2011, 7-10 pm
Room A0006, Institute of Technology Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo

CORK, Friday 27/05/2011, 7-10 pm
Boole 1, University College Cork, College Road, Cork

DUBLIN, Monday 30/05/2011, 7-10 pm
Axis Ballymun Theatre, Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin 9

For more information visit the Youth Defence website and the Life Institute website.