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Watch UTV LIVE : Abortion law - Unionist MLAs have joined forces with politicians from the Republic to oppose any change to the abortion laws both in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

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Today at Stormont in Belfast, a coalition partnership of MLA and Dáil elected officials - Jim Wells, Jim Walsh, Danny Kennedy, Paul Givan, Pat Ramsey MLA, along with Ian Paisley Jnr MP, Jeffrey Donaldson MP; former MEPs Dana Rosemary Scallon and Kathy Sinnott; Bernadette Smyth; with messages of support from Edwin Vassallo MP of Government Party of of Malta, Lord David Alton, Lord Windsor, Luca Volonté MEP, Diane Dodds MEP, Fiona Bruce MP; met to stress the vital importance of not decriminalising abortion and of upholding the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, sections 58 & 59.

Director of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth said, “There is no ‘border’ in this battle to protect Irelands unborn children. The Offences Against the Person Act is an all-Ireland safeguard against abortion.”

The 1861 Act continues to be the Law protecting everyone and sections 58 & 59 bans abortion in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The role of Government is to uphold the Law. We must not allow the weakest and most vulnerable in society to be systematically dehumanized by catchy slogans, clever marketing, slick advertising and aggressive lobbying.

Senator Jim Walsh stated that abortion is barbaric. Jeffrey Donaldson MP, said the first duty of a politician is to protect the vulnerable and no one is more vulnerable than the unborn. Ian Paisley Jnr. MP, stated murder had been taken from the streets of Northern Ireland and it would be a great shame if it was to give way to the killing of the unborn, also that Dr Ian Paisley Senior, fully supported this core group initiative. Pat Ramsey MLA said that SDLP is a pro-life party and defends the right to life of the unborn. Paul Givan MLA, stated the pro-life position unites communities and Sinn Fein must reflect on their opposition to legislation designed to protect unborn children. Danny Kennedy MLA, said the pro-life point of view represents the majority. Former MEP Kathy Sinnott said that politicians must move out of their comfort zones to defend the right to life and if a woman’s life is in danger then she should be in a hospital and not an abortion clinic. Dana Rosemary Scallon said that all values are worth defending and at this moment we must defend the value of life as the fundamental right to life is the basis of all other rights

The Stormont meeting heard that the dignity of the human person and the common good of humanity depend on our respect for the right to life of every person from the moment of conception to natural death. The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. It is the very basis for every other right we enjoy as persons. Abandoning Ireland’s pro-life position and decriminalising abortion will develop a culture against life. Therefore, to decriminalise abortion is a contradiction of the most fundamental principles of the legal system, the principle that human life is to be safeguarded and defended at all times .Once abortion is decriminalised it becomes an ever expanding reality in society and it generates a whole culture of death.

Lord Alton has already stated that both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland embrace the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act sections 58 & 59; a statutory law which continues to be the basis of a ban on abortion.

Bernsadeet Smyth concluded, "We, as a coalition , are determined to robustly defend the dignity of the human person, especially the weakest and most vulnerable life, from the unborn to the elderly."

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