In 2018 during the campaign over the 8th Amendment, the pro-life movement warned the Irish people that if abortion were to be legalized, late-term feticide would inevitably occur. Lies, said the abortion activists. Lies, said the politicians. And, unfortunately, these were lies. When an abortion regime takes root, the evil multiplies itself. The blood seeps under the door. Ireland herself is now sad proof of that. From Gript (which, if you’re interested in Irish/European commentary, you should absolutely be following):
A new report has confirmed that senior Irish doctors are undergoing “international training” in a controversial late-term abortion method known as Dilation and Evacuation, with a view to carrying out such abortions in this country.
The study, which looked at ‘stigma’ experienced by abortion providers, noted that involvement in surgical methods of abortion may “drive stigma” and that “dilation and evacuation has also been suggested to be highly stigmatizing”.
However it also stated that while the procedure is not yet offered in Ireland, “senior trainees are undergoing international training in the procedure with a view to offering it in the future.”
Dilation and Evacuation is a gruesome late-term abortion method used for unborn babies up to 6 months gestation. The woman’s cervix is dilated and the baby is removed piece by piece using a combination of suction and curettes and forceps. The procedure can take up to 30 min, according to Human Reproductive Biology.
Before the 2018 referendum on the repeal of the pro-life 8th amendment, politicians and Yes campaigners lined up to insist that late-term abortions would not be carried out in Ireland. They repeatedly attacked pro-life messaging which showed that the proposed legislation had, in fact, been written to allow for late-term abortion.
Supposed ‘fact-checks’ carried out by the media, poured scorn on possibility of late-term abortion, and the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar tweeted a flat denial, saying “late-term abortions will be illegal”.
Yet here we are, less than three years later, and we’ve already learned from a previous study that feticide – the grim practice of giving the baby a lethal injection of potassium chloride into the heart – is being carried out in Ireland. That is so brutal that doctors providing abortions said it felt like “stabbing a baby in the heart”, and one reported being sick in the corridors afterwards.
Now this new study confirms that abortion doctors in Ireland are being trained in how to perfom horrific Dilation and Evacuation abortions. Even most Yes voters are appalled at late-term abortions – and will be equally appalled at how they were manipulated.
The study, Exploring providers’ experience of stigma following the introduction of more liberal abortion care in the Republic of Ireland, shows that Irish medical professionals involved in the delivery of abortion services report higher levels of social and professional isolation. The research underpinning the Report was conducted by medics and academics who are supportive of abortion.
Additionally, the findings suggest that providing surgical and/or later-gestation abortion care within the hospital environment has presented additional challenges for staff which increase level of ‘stigma’.
The findings of the report contrast starkly with the continually repeated claim made during the abortion referendum and ensuing legislative debates that abortion was a routine procedure that would be offered without difficulty by the majority of medical professionals.
It notes that “hospital-based obstetricians and midwives/nurses reported higher levels of stigma compared to community-based GPs.
“This may be further supported as the hospital staff in this sample were all involved in providing surgical and/or later-gestation abortion care, meaning they must work in a team to provide care and may be exposed to stigma. Difficulties in providing abortion care as part of a team were discussed by fetal medicine specialists’ in Ireland, where feelings of disapproval and disrespect from colleagues, as well as resistance and conflict were noted,” the report said.
For those interested, my book Patriots: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Pro-Life Movement came out last year. The book tour etc. were all put on hold until we (possibly) re-enter the Age of Travel, but I’ve managed to give a few presentations on the subject, and will speak on the accomplishments of the Irish movement to the Parliamentary Pro-Life Caucus this week. The reviews can be found here, for those interested.
