Madam, - The Irish Government Coalition, other political parties and their MEPs must either be agree to vote against EU funding of embryo research or stop misleading the Irish public. The time for talking from both sides of the mouth is over and the duplicity must stop.
This week's vote of approval by the European Parliament's Industry Committee to fund embryo research with taxpayers' money is in line with the Government's confirmation that it agrees with such EU funding. It was notable that several Fianna Fáil MEPs went to great lengths to state that they were against this type of funding, yet the Coalition policy on the matter is the complete opposite. Regrettably, on a number of critical occasions the Government and other Irish parties have either remained silent or have agreed to Europe's demands.
It was also notable that the Government's and Ireland's EU Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, did not publicly defend or uphold Ireland's constitutional position when the EU Commission voted approving funding of destructive research on human embryos and embryonic stem cells. For two years I have been raising this vital issue on a cross-party basis and have been pressing all parties to state clearly that they will uphold and protect Ireland's constitutional position. They have repeatedly failed to do so and, it appears, even now refuse to listen to their own grass roots.
Irish citizens are appalled and dismayed that their tax money will be used to fund destructive research on human embryos and embryonic stem cells.This destructive research is against the legal and constitutional position of a number of member-states. It also ignores the deep division in the European Parliament and within member-states on this issue, including the fact that this is an uncertain and unproven use of public money.
If our political leaders are serious about upholding our Constitution then let all parties clearly state that Ireland does not approve of this unconstitutional use of taxpayers' money. - Yours, etc.,
DANA ROSEMARY
SCALLON, MEP,
Eglinton Street,
Galway.