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12 / 05 / 2008 - Protect Unborn Children - Pat Ramsey SDLP
Pat Ramsey MLA (right) with Bernadette Smyth, PRECIOUS LIFE (left) and Kieran McCarthy MLA (centre)
SDLP Foyle Assembly Member Pat Ramsey, who is Chairman of the Assembly’s All Party Pro-life Group, has said he is concerned by the ‘conveyor belt of abortions in England’ and that the NI Assembly will oppose any attempt to introduce abortion here.
Mr Ramsey stated, “Throughout the troubles at the very centre of SDLP’s principles and policy was the protection of life and that includes the unborn child. We believe that every life should be protected and respected, and that includes everyone from conception.
“In England, where abortion is legal, 1 in every 4 children is aborted. In many hospitals throughout England we have maternity wards where premature children under 26 weeks are being born and the doctors and nurses are doing all they can to save those young lives. In another ward in those same hospitals, unborn children are being aborted, who may be older than the 26 week babies whose lives are being fought a few doors down. That is the harrowing reality and I do not want to see that happen here in Northern Ireland.
“I understand the heartbreaking situation for women who find themselves pregnant in difficult circumstances and we need to support these women, emotionally and financially. Abortion would only add to their pain and suffering.
“The SDLP, like the UUP and DUP are pro-life, we were elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly by people who supported us on our individual policies on an array of issues. One of the key issues for us is opposing abortion and I believe that the mandate of the political representatives elected in the north of Ireland should be respected and the decision on the legality of abortion should rest with legislators here, not at Westminster.
“I have no doubt that the majority of people across the north want to see the lives of unborn children protected. Leading up to a previous Assembly debate on this issue 120,000 people across NI pledged that it would not be in their name that abortion would be introduced here. And recently I presented 15,000 signatures from people from the Foyle constituency to the Secretary of State in opposition to any change of the abortion law here. The views of the people in Northern Ireland and the views of their representatives must be respected.
“We must respect Human Rights for all, and to me, the most fundamental human right is the right to life and we must protect the life of all unborn children.”
Source : SDLP
Mr Ramsey stated, “Throughout the troubles at the very centre of SDLP’s principles and policy was the protection of life and that includes the unborn child. We believe that every life should be protected and respected, and that includes everyone from conception.
“In England, where abortion is legal, 1 in every 4 children is aborted. In many hospitals throughout England we have maternity wards where premature children under 26 weeks are being born and the doctors and nurses are doing all they can to save those young lives. In another ward in those same hospitals, unborn children are being aborted, who may be older than the 26 week babies whose lives are being fought a few doors down. That is the harrowing reality and I do not want to see that happen here in Northern Ireland.
“I understand the heartbreaking situation for women who find themselves pregnant in difficult circumstances and we need to support these women, emotionally and financially. Abortion would only add to their pain and suffering.
“The SDLP, like the UUP and DUP are pro-life, we were elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly by people who supported us on our individual policies on an array of issues. One of the key issues for us is opposing abortion and I believe that the mandate of the political representatives elected in the north of Ireland should be respected and the decision on the legality of abortion should rest with legislators here, not at Westminster.
“I have no doubt that the majority of people across the north want to see the lives of unborn children protected. Leading up to a previous Assembly debate on this issue 120,000 people across NI pledged that it would not be in their name that abortion would be introduced here. And recently I presented 15,000 signatures from people from the Foyle constituency to the Secretary of State in opposition to any change of the abortion law here. The views of the people in Northern Ireland and the views of their representatives must be respected.
“We must respect Human Rights for all, and to me, the most fundamental human right is the right to life and we must protect the life of all unborn children.”
Source : SDLP