Hundreds picket EU Health Ministers meeting in Dublin demanding Action on X

Several hundred people took part in a demonstration in Dublin last night (Monday 4 March) demanding the government legislate for abortion access as laid down in the X-Case judgement over 21 years ago. Government after government have refused to introduce this legislation due to politicians own conservatism and their fear of the huge resources of […]

The WSM & fighting the last war – a reply to James O’Brien

The left is fond of military analogies so I want to open this piece with the observation that poor generals plan for the last war rather than the next one. Those militaries that planned for World War Two by perfecting the trench systems that dominated World War One had their powerful & expensive fortifications quickly […]

Poor turnout in Ireland for Vigil for ‘Life’ despite massive spending

Saturday in Dublin saw another desperate attempt by the anti-choice coalition to prevent legislation coming to the Dail (Irish parliament) to allow abortion where a women’s life is under threat. Despite months of preparation, a spend that must have ran close to a million euro, and the parish priest at every mass in the country […]

Counting heads – 1000+ attend ‘pro-life’ rally in Dublin

Every now and again something winds you up a little too much and you find yourself being a little obcessive in response.  On hearing RTE had reported a daft figure of 8000 as attending tonights anti-choice rally this happened to me.  It was very clear this was a massive overestimate but then how to produce […]

Despite huge spend Irish anti-choice demo attracts only a couple of thousand

Something in the region of 2000 people who demand that women in Ireland should have to carry to term unwanted pregnancies in any situation organised a demonstration at the Dail this evening (4th Dec). They were trying to prevent the government legislating for abortion in the very limited circumstances of the X-Case – some 20 […]

Beyond the 5 ‘errors’ of the crusade against abortion

Fintan O’Toole has an article in the Irish Times answering what he describes as the 5 errors of the ‘Crusade against Abortion.’ I want to go one further and look at what these errors tell us about the methods of those who want to control women’s bodies. And more importantly how it is an error […]

RTE refuse to allow organisers of anti-household tax campaign on panel to discuss campaign

In what has to be one of its odder decisions Morning Ireland this morning decided that the best voice of opposition to the Property Tax was obviously someone from Finna Fail the political party who began the process of bringing the tax in.  The property tax was part of the package of cuts Finna Fail […]

Dail blockaded by 100’s after 3rd refusal in 6 months to legislate for X-case

Last night saw hundreds of pro-choice activists blockade the gates of the Dail after TD’s once more refused to pass X-case legislation. Twenty years after the X-case and one month after the death of Savita Halappanavar women in Ireland were told once more that the politicians had not had enough time. The political parties, in […]

20 years of inaction on abortion access – now a tragedy

There are some stories that are hard to cover – the death of Savita Halappanavar, a pregnant women, from septicemia whose life might have been saved if an abortion was not delayed is a hard as they come. According to the Irish Times Praveen Halappanavar, the husband of Savita said she had asked for a […]