PBP TD claims FG are cowards for suggesting they might not support Citizens’ Assembly recommendations
Press Release- Brid Smith, People Before Profit, 28/09/2017
People Before Profit TD, Brid Smith, has claimed Fine Gael are cowards for suggesting that they might not support the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly, because they feel its recommendations for the legalisation of abortion would not pass “party, Dáil or country” and would have to be significantly amended, as reported in the Irish Times. They believe that people are not in favour of choice.
The TD for Dublin South Central said: “For Fine Gael Ministers to come out with these remarks is a disgrace. I would like to remind FG that they are the ones who initiated the Citizens’ Assembly and hired the Red C polling company to randomly select 99 citizens to guide the Oireachtas. Fine Gael seem to be saying that the Citizens’ Assembly did not deliver the result that FG wanted so, therefore, they are going to ignore the Citizens’ Assembly.
“A simple question should be put to the people of Ireland in the upcoming referendum such as ‘Do you want to see the Article 43.3.3 of the constitution repealed?’
TD Brid Smith also noted that the date of the 8th of June to hold a referendum on the 8th amendment is too late and will exclude a huge proportion of the population. The same-sex marriage referendum was held in May to suit the students.
She said: “Holding the referendum in June will prevent a huge amount of students and young people from voting on the repeal of the 8thamendment. Anyone under 50 years of age has never had a chance to vote on the 8th which governs and dictates women’s reproductive health choices and bodily autonomy.
“We need to repeal- not replace.”
Ends
Contact- Bríd Smith TD- 087 909 0166
Nick Lee (Press Officer)- 087 615 6473