“Changing the law is not the answer. Perinatal hospice care is the way forward,” says Precious Life’s Bernadette Smyth

       In response to David Ford MLA’s recently announced new Private Members Bill to allow abortion of unborn babies with life-limiting disabilities,[1] Bernadette Smyth, the director of Precious Life, stated: 

   “Over 99% of the people who responded to David Ford MLA’s consultation last year made clear that they want unborn babies with disabilities to remain protected under our laws. But David Ford has completely disregarded the will of the people of Northern Ireland by imposing this new Private Members Bill which is calling for the legalisation of abortion of disabled unborn babies right up to birth. This is lethal discrimination against disabled unborn babies. In fact, a similar Bill was debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly in February and defeated by 59 votes to 40!

Footnote 1: In October 2014, in response to then Justice Minister David Ford MLA’s proposals to legalise abortion in cases of so-called ‘lethal foetal abnormality’, Precious Life launched its PROJECT LOVE campaign and presented a total of 23,622 responses to the public consultation showing opposition to a change in our abortion law in Northern Ireland.        

In April 2015, it was revealed that, of the 25,320 responses to that consultation, 25,140 of the responses opposed David Ford’s proposals for the lethal discrimination against disabled unborn babies in Northern Ireland.

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    In April 2015, it was revealed that, of the 25,320 responses to that consultation, 25,140 of the responses opposed David Ford’s proposals for the lethal discrimination against disabled unborn babies in Northern Ireland.