LifeZine No. 542: 19th Nov 07
Right to Life Amendment in Irish Constitution Crucial as Couple Win Case Against HSE Over Death of Baby
A couple who argued that the right to life of the unborn amendment in the Irish Constitution supported their claim of entitlement to damages for wrongful death of their stillborn baby son have settled their High Court action for a substantial sum and with an admission of liability by the Health Services Executive (HSE). Lavinia Doyle (36) and Luca Chiussi (35), Burnmount, Co Waterford, had sued the HSE after their baby, Ethan, was stillborn in Waterford Regional Hospital in July 2003. The case centred on the treatment Ms Doyle received while in hospital and on whether there was provision under law for damages for the death of an unborn child. The Irish Attorney General joined in the action because the couple claimed their right to seek damages for an unborn child had to be interpreted in accordance with Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution, vindicating the right to life of the unborn. The HSE argued there was no provision under the law under which the couple sought damages for a claim in respect of an unborn baby. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Stay-at-Home Parents Neglected in ICTU Call for Budget to Improve the Family's Lot
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) had called on the Government to give priority to working families in yesterday's budget. In its pre-budget submission, the ICTU proposed that paid maternity leave be increased by three months to nine months, while paid paternity leave of one month should be introduced. It called for an increase in maternity leave benefit. It urged that paid parental leave be introduced. It said 80 per cent of eligible parents had not taken parental leave entitlements. The body also called on the Government to introduce a statutory entitlement to flexible working arrangements. ICTU also called for one year's free universal early education for all three-to-four-year-olds. A pro-life spokesman said that while welcoming initiatives to strengthen and protect the family, he was “disappointed that the ICTU gave no mention of the need for support for the increasing number of families where the mother (or father) stay at home to mind young children.” These families, he pointed out, “are penalized through the draconian tax individualization system and the ICTU needs to urgently address this discrimination.” F& L. The Irish Times. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Why Rights Must Start in the Womb
Leading Scottish pro-life activist, Donna Nicholson, writing in the Edinburgh “Evening News”, said, “the Abortion Act (1967) effectively set out that babies in the womb could be disposed of like commodities, regarded as "non-persons" and denied their human rights for even the most trivial of reasons.” Abortion, she added, “is now offered as some sort of humanitarian solution to practical problems, and on that basis has been deemed morally justifiable and more and more acceptable. References to women's rights aim to convince people it's some sort of entitlement.” The freedom to make personal choices is a right but when pregnant there's another human being in existence and the "choice" of abortion takes away that baby's right to life. Early feminists opposed abortion on these very grounds, she pointed out, arguing that as they were fighting against being treated as "commodities" why would they want to impose such treatment on others, let alone children. After 40 years women deserve better than abortion, she concluded. Evening News. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
British Lawmakers Had Conflict of Interest on Abortion Committee, MP Says
Several British lawmakers who were a part of the committee that recently recommended to parliament that it promote abortion further should have disclosed their pro-abortion ties. That's the view of a leading MP who said it was wrong that pro-life doctors were criticised but pro-abortion officials not questioned on their links to the abortion industry. The committee suggested to parliament that the two-doctor requirement for an abortion be ended, that women be allowed to use the dangerous abortion drug at home, and that nurses be allowed to do abortions. Several physicians who testified before the panel were criticized by abortion advocates on the committee for their ties to pro-life groups. But leading MP Nadine Dorries says some of the members of the committee have received funds from a leading pro-abortion organization. She said about a dozen Labour Ministers and MPs including Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Welfare Minister Caroline Flint, have received money from the British pro-abortion group Emily's List. LifeNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Vatican Holds Conference on Unborn Baby's Development
The Catholic Church held a conference recently to help policymakers understand the amazing development of the unborn child. Vatican officials say nations are making decisions about abortion and bioethics issues such as human cloning and stem cell research and they need to know that human life begins at conception and how it develops. The conference, in mid-November, was part of a teaching programme at the six pontifical universities. The programme explored the relationship between science and faith and was an attempt to help decision-makers better understand that human life is sacred and not a commodity which can be destroyed or used for research. The Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University hosted the conference. Dean of the philosophy department, Fr Rafael Pascual, said, "The study of human life from the point of view of its individual origin acquires a particular interest in today's world." LifeNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
False Statistics Were Used to Promote Mexican Abortion Law
False statistics on maternal mortality in were used to justify a law passed earlier this year legalising abortion in Mexico City, according to Guillermo de Navascués of Life Foundation, a Latin American pro-life organisation. De Navascués said the statistics published by Mexico City's Secretary of Health, Dr Manuel Mondragón y Kalb, were not derived from Mexico City's health department, but rather from the pro-abortion group Ipas. The false statistics, published by Mondragón y Kalb, were used during the debate to justify the legalization of abortion in the district. Ipas, which is a major promoter of abortion in Latin America and worldwide, has a long record of involvement in falsifying information to promote its agenda. LifeSiteNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....