Ireland: Bishop attacks politicians’ failure on abortion law

A Church of Ireland bishop has attacked the ‘systemic spinelessness’ of politicians in failing to enact legislation to allow for abortion following the X case, the Irish Times reports.

The legislature has failed to address its responsibilities and instead expects people to put ‘blunt phrases’ in the Constitution or judges to do ‘its dirty work’, said the Bishop of Ossory, Right Rev Michael Burrows.

The bishop made the remarks in a homily delivered to a packed congregation, including the papal nuncio, Most Rev Dr Giuseppe Lazzarotto, and senior judges who were attending a service at St Michan’s Church of Ireland in Dublin to mark the opening of the new law term, the Irish Times reports.

He said the failure to legislate on the X case - where the Supreme Court allowed a minor to travel to the UK in 1992 for an abortion on the basis that her life and health were at risk - and other issues relating to human embryology had left doctors, lawyers and others floundering. This was due to the ‘hypocritical and ostrich-like’ stance adopted by politicians.

Although he would love to see the impatience of judges leading to political activity, he was aware judicial tactics had to be ‘more circumspect’ and apparently apolitical.

The Irish Government declined to respond to the bishop’s comments. There are no plans in the programme for government to introduce any such legislation.

Labour Party spokeswoman on health Jan O’Sullivan said there was some truth in what Bishop Burrows had said.

‘At every election since 1992 the Labour Party has included in its manifesto a commitment to introduce legislation to give effect to the Supreme Court decision in the X case, but unfortunately no other party in the Dáil has been willing to touch this issue,’ she said.

She added that recent opinion polls had indicated a significant shift in public opinion on this issue. ‘Notwithstanding the emotive reaction abortion frequently produces, the Dáil and Seanad will have to face up to its responsibilities in this area,’ she said.

The bishop’s comments drew a critical response from the Pro-Life Campaign, which said his ‘inflammatory language’ would generate more heat than light.

Politicians ‘spineless’ over X case inaction, says bishop. Irish Times, 2 October 2007