“An Irish woman carrying a baby diagnosed with a fatal foetal abnormality was refused a termination at the Coombe Hospital in Dublin. Although she was initially told the foetus would not survive, an ‘internal’ board (the Coombe Board put out a vague statement stating that they had no role in the certification of pregnancy) said that this was not a clear case of FFA and refused her the abortion. She contacted TDs who raised the case in the Dáil. The woman is going to travel to the UK for a termination. ”

— https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2019/0117/1023832-dail-abortion/

“‘You’re talking about somebody whose baby might only survive for a few weeks or months, but it doesn’t fit into the “fatal” definition,’ she says. ‘What wasn’t discussed during the campaign last year was women who get a catastrophic diagnosis that’s not considered fatal. They’ve not been considered.
Since January, she says about two women a month with this diagnosis have been asking TFMR for help. ‘They’ve already got this awful diagnosis, they shouldn’t then have to get on a plane,’ she says. ‘When they come to us, they’re shaken and a shell of themselves. They ask where one finds the strength to get through it, because the biggest thing is waiting around for that flight to England. It was the hardest journey I ever had to make.’”

— https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/in-the-news/irish-women-travelling-to-access-abortion/

TO ANY OTHER PARTY

Dear [insert MLA name here]

I am urging you as a constituent, to not engage with or support the DUP motion to restrict access to abortion for serious foetal anomalies, and to not support the Sinn Féin amendment to the motion. Reducing the anomaly clause to only permitting fatal anomalies has been shown in the example of Ireland to actually limit even fatal foetal diagnoses due to the unattainable certainty required by those laws for diagnosis.

Neither the motion or amendment is based on the best, most recent medical evidence and does not meet the human rights standards as recommended by CEDAW in their 2018 Report. The report recommends;

that abortion on the ground of severe foetal impairment be available to facilitate reproductive choice and autonomy, States parties are obligated to ensure that women’s decisions to terminate pregnancies on this ground do not perpetuate stereotypes towards persons with disabilities. Such measures should include the provision of appropriate social and financial support for women who choose to carry such pregnancies to term.

Following the introduction of regulations, this recommendation has now been incorporated into primary legislation. There is clear evidence from Ireland that including only fatal foetal anomaly, does nothing to prevent abortions for serious foetal anomaly, instead it means that families are forced to travel after a troubling diagnosis. As the Abortion Rights Campaign in Ireland has said in its report to CERD,

“Fear of criminal penalties hangs over doctors' decision making. Pregnant people given diagnoses of catastrophic but not necessarily “fatal” foetal anomalies have no choice but to travel abroad for abortion care, just as they did before Irish voters changed the Constitution.”

Stormont should be pushing for significant increases in funding to help disabled people, rather than trying to broadly restrict the rights of women in NI even further. Disabled Women Ireland have said:

We believe that social and financial support to disabled people and their parents is the strongest way to deal with concerns for disability rights. Recognising the full extent of disabled people’s rights from infancy to old age – to education, to early childhood support, to personal assistance – will make meaningful changes to the quality of disabled people’s everyday lives. Restrictions on abortion will only place further restrictions on the reproductive rights and freedoms of people with disabilities.

I urge you to rethink the amendment and show no support for the disingenuous DUP motion. If your party policy is restricting you then it’s time to change the party policy in line with best human rights and medical practice.

Many thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

*Original Motion: Abortion Legislation: Non-Fatal Disabilities**
That this Assembly welcomes the important intervention of disability campaigner Heidi Crowter and rejects the imposition of abortion legislation which extends to all non-fatal disabilities, including Down's syndrome.
[Mr Paul Givan]
[Ms Joanne Bunting]
[Ms Michelle McIlveen]
[Mrs Pam Cameron]

Amendment 1
Leave out all after ‘rejects’ and insert:
‘the specific legislative provision in the abortion legislation which goes beyond fatal foetal abnormalities to include non-fatal disabilities, including Down's syndrome.’
[Ms Emma Sheerin]
[Dr Caoimhe Archibald]
[Mr Colm Gildernew]
[Mr Pat Sheehan]
[Ms Órlaithí Flynn]

Please use the button below to be put through to your local Northern Ireland MLAs and select the Sinn Féin one if there is one. There are also links and quotes from some real life examples below the letter should you wish to use them. connollyhouse@sinnfein.ie
caoimhearchibald@gmail.com
teachcarney@msn.com
cathalboylansf@gmail.com
catherine.kelly@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
colmgildernew16@gmail.com
conormurphysf@gmail.com
southantrimsinnfein@gmail.com
declanmcaleer@ymail.com
framccannsinnfein@gmail.com
teachcarney@msn.com
ian.milne@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
jemma.dolan@sinnfein.ie
johnodowdupperbann@gmail.com
linda.dillon@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
michaelasf.boyle@gmail.com
michelle.oneill@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
mickey.brady28@gmail.com
colinsinnfein@yahoo.ie
patsheehansf@gmail.com
philipmcguigan@hotmail.com
Sean.lynch122@gmail.com
sinead1974@hotmail.com
orlaithi.flynn@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
emmasheerinsf@outlook.com
dugganliam89@gmail.com

Email MLA

Letter Template for Northern Ireland Abortion Motion on Anomalies.

Dear [insert Sinn Féin MLA name here]

I am urging you as a constituent, to not engage with or support the DUP motion to restrict access to abortion for serious foetal anomalies, and to remove the Sinn Féin amendment to the motion. Reducing the anomaly clause to only permitting fatal anomalies has been shown in the example of Ireland to actually limit even fatal foetal diagnoses due to the unattainable certainty required by those laws for diagnosis.

Although Sinn Féin’s approach is in line with party policy, the party policy is not based on the best, most recent medical evidence and does not meet the human rights standards as recommended by CEDAW in their 2018 Report. It is the Sinn Féin policy that needs to change and not the human rights based legislation. The report recommends;

Following the introduction of regulations, this recommendation has now been incorporated into primary legislation. There is clear evidence from Ireland that this party policy including only fatal foetal anomaly, is one that does nothing to prevent abortions for serious foetal anomaly, instead it means that families are forced to travel after a troubling diagnosis. As the Abortion Rights Campaign in Ireland has said in its report to CERD,

Sinn Féin should be pushing for significant increases in funding to help disabled people, rather than trying to broadly restrict the rights of women in NI even further. Disabled Women Ireland have said:

Many thanks,

[YOUR NAME]