Sharon Keogan warns on UK decriminalising abortion up to birth
In the Seanad today Sharon Keogan addressed two urgent issues: recent UK legislation effectively decriminalising abortion up to birth, and the public reaction to Epstein files floats in Galway and Mayo. She warned that the UK change may open a back door to unregulated late-term abortions impacting Northern Ireland and criticised misplaced outrage over displays rather than alleged trafficking claims.
Sharon Keogan outlined concerns about the House of Lords legislation and its practical effects. She argued the measure could create a route for unregulated late-term abortions, notably via pills delivered by post, with potential implications for Northern Ireland despite devolved competence in these matters.
Keogan condemned what she called an undemocratic push through of de facto late-term authorisation. She referenced polling that, she said, shows very few people in the UK or elsewhere accept late-term abortion, and urged colleagues to analyse the legal and moral consequences.
On the Epstein files floats in Galway and Mayo, Keogan refused to debate decorum and instead asked why public outrage focused on the floats rather than the substance of the files. She highlighted allegations in the emails, including a claim a woman was trafficked into Ireland at 13, and questioned why the government has not properly investigated.
Keogan concluded by calling for serious parliamentary analysis and for energy to be directed toward investigating possible trafficking and official responses rather than merely policing appearances. The address frames both the abortion legislation and the Epstein material as matters requiring deeper public and governmental scrutiny.
House of Lords change and Northern Ireland risk
Sharon Keogan outlined concerns about the House of Lords legislation and its practical effects. She argued the measure could create a route for unregulated late-term abortions, notably via pills delivered by post, with potential implications for Northern Ireland despite devolved competence in these matters.
Democratic process and public sentiment
Keogan condemned what she called an undemocratic push through of de facto late-term authorisation. She referenced polling that, she said, shows very few people in the UK or elsewhere accept late-term abortion, and urged colleagues to analyse the legal and moral consequences.
Epstein files, public outrage and investigative gaps
On the Epstein files floats in Galway and Mayo, Keogan refused to debate decorum and instead asked why public outrage focused on the floats rather than the substance of the files. She highlighted allegations in the emails, including a claim a woman was trafficked into Ireland at 13, and questioned why the government has not properly investigated.
Consequences and call for scrutiny
Keogan concluded by calling for serious parliamentary analysis and for energy to be directed toward investigating possible trafficking and official responses rather than merely policing appearances. The address frames both the abortion legislation and the Epstein material as matters requiring deeper public and governmental scrutiny.
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Transcript
Thank you and Cairnleach. Today I want to speak on two issues. The first concerns the recent development of the UK regarding the law passed by the House of Lords, which effectively decriminalises abortion up to birth. Since this concerns a country which has jurisdiction over Northern Ireland, I feel compelled to speak on it. We should first be concerned if we are being exposed to a serious risk at opening a back door to unregulated late-term abortions, mainly via pills in the post, through a jurisdiction of Northern Ireland. While I understand that the North is devolved from Westminster in these matters, I think this is a risk that we in these Houses must seriously analyse. More importantly, I would like to condemn this as a dangerous development. Polling has shown that incredibly very few people in the UK, or in any country for that matter, believe that late-term abortions is acceptable, regardless of whether you are pro-life or pro-choice. And yet we have what is a de facto legislation of it which was pushed through in an incredibly undemocratic way. Secondly, I want to comment on the recent outrage over the improvised Epstein files floats in Galway and Mayo. I won't comment on the inappropriateness or otherwise of the display, but instead I'd point out that if you search online for the Epstein files in Ireland, you can see tens of articles in just the last 24 hours condemning the float, and very few investigating what the files say about Ireland. And I really have to ask those expressing outrage today, where was this outrage when the emails revealed one woman who claimed she was trafficked into Ireland at 13? And where was the outrage when our government declined to investigate these claims and the other possible Epstein links to Ireland? Once again, we seem to be directing more energy into outrage over appearance and pageantry than into outrage over real concerns. Go raibh maith agat.