LoveBoth group reveal #TooFarForMe campaign; SF President asks where were the alternatives
Former Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael John Bruton has said he trusts the Irish people to uphold human rights and maintain the only constitutional protection they have for unborn life.
Speaking to RTÉ's Today with Sean O'Rourke Mr Bruton said he was advocating for a No vote because he could not reconcile why the state intervenes to protect a baby when it is being mistreated after birth but would facilitate the ending of a life of a similar baby a few months earlier.
"Where does human life begin? In my view, human life begins far, far earlier than abortion is being allowed".
Mr Bruton went on to accept a certain level of hypocrisy around the right to travel, but said he was confident more people would opt for abortion if it were "freely available" than if they had to travel.
"I want to ensure that a baby has the freedom to live, and has the freedom to make choices in its own life having been born, because a baby whose life is cut off before it's born isn't free to choose anything".
Mr Bruton's comments came as the pro-life LoveBoth group released details of their latest campaign, #TooFarForMe.
In a tweet and video today, the group claimed that even those who support abortion in some circumstances realise the Government’s plan is too extreme.
The campaign is anchored on a video in which a local councillor, Keith Richards, explains that despite being in favour of abortion in certain circumstances, he would be voting no because he believed the Government proposals are too extreme.
"I believe we need to look at the 8th but this is not the way to do it. I am voting No on May 25 because this is just too far for me."
Meanwhile, speaking this morning, Sinn Féin President Mary-Lou McDonald said the 'No' campaign have had more than 30 years to come up with alternatives to repealing the eighth, but have failed to do so.
Speaking as the referendum campaign enters its final days, the Sinn Féin leader claimed proposals put forward by the Government to allow abortion up to 12 weeks are the "only way to deal with the real, lived cases and experiences of women and the No side are very well aware of that".
"They are very aware that the proposals as put have come through a litany of discussions and deliberations, decades of hard experience."
She added that suggesting that there is some other way to deal with rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities is simply not correct and is wrong.
Speaking outside Leinster House Ms McDonald said: "If the no campaign wishes to suggest that there is another way to deal with these cases other than voting yes and repealing the eighth amendment, they have had over 30 years to tell us how we deal with these hard cases (and) they have failed to do so.
"They argued strongly against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy legislation which was about keeping women alive...They talked about the opening of floodgates...They were wrong then, and they are wrong now."
- Elaine Loughlin and Digital Desk
