Pro Life Campaign

Foundation

After the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was ratified in September 1983, a number of those involved in that campaign, including some lawyers, decided to initiate legal proceedings through SPUC (Ireland). The targets were two pregnancy advisory agencies in Dublin. The cases started in 1985, won at the Supreme Court of Ireland (1988) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (1992). That same year, the X case arose, and abortion in potentially wide circumstances was endorsed by the Irish Supreme Court.

The group that had planned the SPUC (Ireland) cases at once advised the setting up of the Pro Life Campaign (PLC). Within a week of the court judgement, it had set up an office in North Great Georges Street and held its first press conference on 10 March. The chairman, and later honorary president, was Des Hanafin, who had played a central role in the 1983 campaign.

Pro Life Campaign is a trading name of VIE Ltd, a private limited company incorporated in Ireland in June 1993. It's founding directors were Joe McCarroll, Owen Doyle, Mary Barrett, John O'Reilly, Barry Kiely, Des Hanafin, Marie Vernon, Catherine Bannon, Jerry Collins, Michael Lucey and Desmond McDoland.

1992 Abortion Referendums

In 1992, in the wake of the X Case, there were three abortion referendums in Ireland (12th, 13th and 14th). The Pro Life Campaign called for a no vote on 12th and 14th Amendment and was strongly opposed to the 13th, but did not call for a No vote.

2002 Abortion Referendum

The Pro Life Campaign campaigned for a Yes vote on the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002 (Ireland). A statement on their website read:

We welcome the proposed 25th Amendment (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill and are calling for a 'YES' vote.
The Amendment restores protection to unborn children. It protects women by ensuring the lawful availability of necessary medical treatment to save their lives.

The reality of unexpected pregnancies also challenges us to put the resources in place to meet the real needs of women. A clear law on the right to life is an important first step to framing social policies to help reduce our abortion rate.

During the campaign, a member referenced the Finnish study published in the British Medical Journal which claimed women were six times more likely to commit suicide after abortion than if they went through with their pregnancies.

The Pro Life Campaign was the second largest spender during the referendum, spending €350,000. It received €200,000 of undisclosed donations during the campaign.

United Nations and NGO status

The Pro-Life Campaign has special NGO consultative status at the United Nations which was granted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2011. Since that time, it has taken an active role in participation in the regular sessions organised by the Council to oversee and implement the various Covenants affecting Ireland. In 2011, the Campaign sent a representative to Geneva to take part in the Universal Periodic Review on Ireland before the UN Human Rights Committee and made a written submission at the time. In June 2015, the Campaign sent a representative to Geneva to take part in the Half-Day General Discussion on Article 6 (Right to Life) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and a submission was made. Also in June 2015, a written submission was made to the 55th Session of the Committee on Economic and Cultural Rights.

In April 2016, the Campaign made a submission to the Equality Division of the Department of Justice and Equality in advance of the Universal Periodic Review into Ireland, due to take place in May 2016. A representative from the Campaign travelled to Geneva for the Hearing of the Universal Periodic Review in May 2016 and the final written submission was made at this stage.

In February 2017, representatives from the Campaign travelled to the UN to take part in the 66th Session of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and a written submission was also made.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013

Every year, the group organized a National Vigil in Dublin.

The June 2013, as the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 was being debated, thousands of people protested the proposed law at Merrion Square. Official figures put the crowd at 15,000 to 20,000 people, with the organisers claiming 50,000. Attendees included GAA Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte, Adele Best of Women Hurt, Jennifer Kehoe, Maria Steen and Íde Nic Mathúna, co-founder of Youth Defence. The bill was approved in the Dáil by 127 votes to 31. It passed its final stage in the Seanad on 23 July 2013, by 39 votes to 14. It was signed into law on 30 July by Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland.

The 2014 National Vigil took place at Merrion Square on 3 May 2014., and was attended by about 4,500 people, with the organisers claiming 15,000. They criticised the newly passed Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. Speakers included Cora Sherlock, Caroline Simons, and Lynn Coles of Women Hurt.

Irish General Election 2016

The Pro Life Campaign spent €40,000 during the Irish general election, 2016. They produced recommendations for who to vote for based on which politicians voted for the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013

Citizens Assembly

In 2016 the Irish government set up the Citizens' Assembly, a group of 99 citizens to discuss the Eighth Amendment, and then make recommendation to the government. This is similar to the 2012 Constitutional Convention.

The Pro Life Campaign has criticised the Citizens' Assembly, claiming it has a pre-arranged outcome. But they were selected as one of the groups to present to the Citizens' Assembly

LGBT issues

Joe McCarroll co-founded, and was Chairperson of the Pro Life campaign until December 2015. In 1993, as national secretary of Family Solidarity, he campaigned against the decriminalisation of homosexuality, calling it "unnatural", In 2015, in the lead up to the marriage equality referendum, he campaigned against it, and called for a no vote. Writing in The Brandsma Review after the referendum (where same-sex marriage was approved), he accused the media of lying, and complained about funding from outside the State.

Des Hanafin, co-founder, former leader and former honorary president, accused equality campaigners in the same-sex marriage referendum of spreading a "palpable climate of fear", and called for a No vote. His son, Senator John Hanafin resigned from Fianna Fáil rather than vote for civil partnerships for same sex couples in 2010.

In 2005 Pro Life Campaign members had written to a Dáil committee arguing against legal recognition of same-sex couples. The submission from the North Tipperary branch opposed any legal recognition of same sex couples, claiming same sex relationships were an "unnatural union" and "totally unacceptable, and an attack upon the family". The Cork North West branch submission asked "why can’t they [same-sex couples] make their own legal arrangements distinct from marriage?" and claimed "a homosexual environment is incomplete" for raising children