It’s A Great Day for the Irish!

This Saturday, March 17th, of course, marked the annual celebration of Ireland’s patron saint, Patrick, Apostle to the Irish people and first bishop of Armagh (see here). 

Last Thursday, a few days before the celebration of St. Patrick’s feast, Ireland’s record on human rights under the Universal Periodic Review was discussed a second time at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.  A group of six U.N. member states – Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia – had made a number of recommendations concerning Ireland’s law and practice concerning “human rights” (see here).

“Permanent UN Representative in Geneva, Gerard Corr said that of the 127 recommendations made, Ireland had fully accepted 91, a further 17 had been accepted in part and it was unable to support four” (here ).  Among the recommendations rejected by the Irish state was a call for the legalization of abortion in support of women’s “health.”

According to Dr. Ruth Cullen, spokesperson for the Pro Life Campaign in Ireland, “Calls for abortion legislation fly in the face of the United Nation’s own recent research showing that Ireland, without abortion, is a world leader in terms of safety for women in pregnancy.  Maternal safety in Ireland, it should be noted, is better than in the six countries which last year sought to put pressure on Ireland to introduce abortion.  The latest UN study on maternal mortality, published in 2010, shows that out of 172 countries for which estimates are given, Ireland remains a world leader in safety for pregnant women” (here ).

May St. Patrick and all of Ireland’s saints and martyrs continue to look over and guide the people of Eire and their government as they remain steadfast in their commitment to the legal protection of unborn human life.  Indeed, just as Patrick, born in Britain and educated and ordained in France, brought the Gospel from Europe to Ireland, may Ireland now continue to have the confidence to share an authentic understanding of human rights – the Gospel of Life – with the people of Europe.