Chair of Eighth Amendment Committee urges pair not to quit
The chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment has she hopes two anti-abortion members do not quit the body.
Yesterday, Senator Ronan Mullen and Deputy Mattie McGrath said they were considering their positions, claiming the process is "a propaganda exercise in favour of abortion".
"We already had serious concerns about the one-sided nature of the process but this latest revelation takes things to a whole new level," their joint statement read yesterday.
"We’re not directing our criticism at individual members of the Committee but there’s no escaping that this process is entirely skewed and unfair. Over 20 groups and individuals pushing for abortion have been invited before the Committee while only a handful of pro-life people have been invited."
Committee chairperson Senator Catherine Noone is rejecting claims that they have been treated unfairly, and wants to engage directly with the pair.
"I would hope to speak to both of them, rather than through the media," she said.
"And I would hope that they would remain active members of the Committee because they ask questions that are very pertinent and that are of importance to many citizens in the country. A large percentage want those questions to be asked."
