Pro-Life Campaign says issue is rights

The leaders of the two main Opposition parties should outline their alternative to the proposed referendum on abortion, a press conference in Dublin was told yesterday.

Dr Berry Keily of the Pro-Life Campaign said the issues at stake were "too fundamental in nature for politicians to skirt around the subject, talking in bland terms about compassion without saying what they really mean".

She said it would be wrong for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to tackle the Opposition leaders - Fine Gael's Mr Michael Noonan and Labour's Mr Ruairí Quinn - about "what they really mean" in a televised debate.

The campaign's legal spokesman, Mr William Binchy, agreed, saying the key issue was a "human rights" one and "not one of party politics".

"It is important that this issue is not reduced to a party political squabble. To do otherwise would be to do a disservice to human rights." He said he would be "delighted" to take part in a debate with political leaders advocating a No vote.

Dr Keily said the electorate was "entitled to answers" to basic questions from Mr Noonan and Mr Quinn. "Will they legislate for abortion on demand? If not, how do they propose to prevent the grounds they want leading to abortion on demand?," she asked.

"Do they support abortion up to birth? If not, at how many weeks or months do they want the line drawn, and why? Do they believe the unborn deserve any legal protection?

"The choice facing the electorate is a stark one," she went on. "Either we restore legal protection to the unborn and safeguard all necessary medical treatment for women in pregnancy by voting Yes, or the alternative is to adopt the Fine Gael and Labour legislative approach which would inevitably lead to abortion on demand."

Senator Des Hanafin, who has been unwell, said he was "delighted to be back, delighted to have the opportunity to be back campaigning for a 'Yes to life' vote."

This will be the week that sees a turn in the tide to a Yes vote. I believe firmly there will be a solid Yes result," he said.

"It's not a party political issue. There's a huge Fine Gael vote coming to us..."

Dr Berry said she got the sense that there was "a lot of confusion among voters on the issue", but said she thought the information booklet from the Referendum Commission, to be delivered to every home in the State, would be a "huge help".

The issues were "not difficult to understand," she added.