PDs accused of abortion referendum 'hypocrisy'

Members of Alliance for a No Vote (ANV), staged a demonstration today outside the head office of the Progressive Democrats in…

Members of Alliance for a No Vote (ANV), staged a demonstration today outside the head office of the Progressive Democrats in Dublin.

The pro-choice group accused the party of "hypocritcally putting women's lives in danger."

The ANV said referendum proposals supported by the PD's would effectively reverse the Supreme Court's ruling in the 1992 X case and deny the risk of suicide as a justification for a life-saving abortion.

The ANV distributed leaflets quoting PD leader Ms Mary Harney TD at the time as saying that abortion should be made available in Ireland in cases of rape, incest, danger of suicide and risk to a woman's health.

ANV spokesperson Ms Catherine Naji said that the PD's survival in government was "more important to them than their liberal principles or concern for the welfare of vulnerable women."

The Progressive Democrats were unavailable for comment.

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