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A PRO-LIFE group says it intends on holding ‘education projects’ outside two major Irish airports – which would involve graphic abortion imagery and banners.
But spokespeople for both Cork and Dublin Airport have indicated that they are unlikely to give permission for such events. Both airports say they don’t give permission for protests.
‘Airport Education Project’
The Irish Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform says in a recent mail to supporters that it is appealing for volunteers and funding for its ‘airport education project’, which would take place between Saturday 29 July and Sunday 13 August at Dublin Airport and Cork Airport and city centre.
In examples of the types of posters and banners it would show, it includes graphic imagery of what it claims are aborted foetuses. It says that it intends on purchasing 15x5ft prints which would include the airport-themed signage.
It is seeking seven to eight display participants for the events, as well as people with experience in photography/videography, video editing and graphic design.
It is also looking for funding to support the airport events.
With regard to the callout for videographers, it says:
No doubt the abortion lobby and their journalist pawns will want to paint this event as pro-lifers filming women going abroad for abortions; something we don’t do. As though we would even know which 15 passengers among the thousands were travelling to the UK for abortion.
The ICBR says it uses body cameras “to protect our volunteers from false allegations”.
It also has two signs which claim the group would reimburse tickets for people intending to fly abroad for an abortion.
However, it appears highly unlikely that the group would receive permission for the events to take place on airport property.
A spokesperson for Cork Airport told TheJournal.ie that:
We do not give permission for protests of any type at Cork Airport.
[U]nder Statutory By-Laws, the distribution of leaflets, pamphlets or other documentation to staff, passengers or visitors, or leaving such like on vehicles or in any areas at or within the airport and conducting or taking part in public meetings, demonstrations or processions are specifically prohibited unless permission has been given by the airport authority.
This was echoed by a Dublin Airport spokesperson, who said:
Under statutory airport by-laws, the distribution of leaflets, pamphlets or other documentation to staff, passengers or visitors, or leaving such items on vehicles or in any areas at or within the airport and conducting or taking part in public meetings, demonstrations or processions are specifically prohibited unless permission has been given by the airport authority. We do not give permission for protests of any type at Dublin Airport.
The ICBR was asked by TheJournal.ie if it had contacted the airports in advance.
In an email, it said:
We always inform An Garda Siochana of our intentions to hold Public Educations Displays and this will be no exception. We will also be in touch with airport authorities of our intentions.
When asked if the campaigners would stand inside or outside the airport, it said:
As close to the airport buildings as we may lawfully stand.
It says its public education displays “will consist of medical images of aborted fetuses displayed on vinyl banners with brief, content-neutral, identifying captions”.
“They are non-judgemental and non-polemical and offer no negative commentary concerning abortion, or the people who choose abortion, or the people who perform abortion.”
The group is “confident that An Garda Siochana will abide by its obligation to protect the rights of every citizen within its jurisdiction, including the rights of those who speak out publicly against abortion”.
“It is our hope that they will do what they can to ensure that we, the volunteers, are free from unlawful interference with our Constitutional right to freedom of speech. In turn, we continue to pledge to scrupulously abide by all lawful rules and regulations governing public order on the public walkways of Dublin and Cork in which we intend on holding our education displays ie As close to the airport buildings as we may lawfully stand.”
With regard to the graphic images themselves, the group says in its mailing list:
Well we ask, if you support abortion, why does seeing it make you so angry? Again, these are medically accurate photographs of what someone has done to a baby. Their authenticity has been well attested. How can doing this thing to a baby be okay if seeing it is so disturbing, that it is immoral for us to show it to people?
That is why we intend on standing at the airport with our airport themed images as part of our consumer protection initiative. We will show their ‘consumer client’ what they would never dare to – abortion reality.
It adds of abortion providers:
We intend on cutting through their rhetoric and trickery by exposing the gruesome underbelly of their ‘abortion service’ by standing inside or outside the airport in Dublin and Cork. Their ‘service users’ have a right to know what ‘abortion treatment’ and ‘abortion care’ looks like
To have an open and honest discussion concerning abortion would signal the death knell for the abortion industry and those who stand to gain from its immense profits. And yet, we’re the extremists!
It describes pro-choice activists covering up or vandalising images of abortion as “a suitable metaphor for the efforts exerted by the abortion industry and its allies in attempting to ‘vandalize’ and cover-up the reality of abortion by sophistry and spin”.
The Irish Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, a company limited by guarantee, was set up on 7 July 2016, with an address in Co Tipperary. The company’s current directors are Jean Simonis Engela and Jacobus Engela, according to SoloCheck.ie.
A spokesperson for the pro-choice Abortion Rights Campaign told TheJournal.ie:
Obviously we think it’s disgusting. The anti choice groups are not happy with keeping almost all abortions out of Ireland but now want to intimidate those who are forced to travel to get the healthcare they need.
As the stats from the UK department of Health show 10 women a day leave Ireland to get an abortion. They are already subject to shame and stigma by being exiled.
The spokesperson describes the abortion images as “fake and have no medical basis, they are designed to shock”. The ICBR says the images are not fake.
According to its website, the ICBR is connected to pro-life groups including the US-based Center for Bio-Ethical Reform and the UK-based Abort67, as well as the Canadian-based Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform and the CBR Netherlands.
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To be fair…it takes a bigger person to acknowledge they are not the best person for the job. Next question is…who is?
@Dramafree 2023: Hopefully, someone with balls to stand up for Ireland
@Dramafree 2023: me.
@Dramafree 2023: Very good decision for his party. Again he surprised me. Not a typical politician glued to his chair.
@Dramafree 2023: No, it just takes a man who knows his time is up. Like the other ten, he will jump ship because he recognises the impending defeat he has led his party to through the relentless pursuit of foreign agendas ahead of the interests of the Irish people.
@Dramafree 2023: I expect a narcissist of his type to move onto big EU role shortly.
@Dramafree 2023: only took him 7 years
Trying to pretend this is no big deal?…election time now needed…the resignation of Taoiseach is a big deal this government cannot continue
So, just wait now for the inevitable scandal, and real reason for running for the hills, to be revealed. I’m sure he’ll ride off into the sunset with his palms we’ll greased. Rotten to the core.
@Michael Fielding: sure if no scandal comes to pass the conspiracy theorists will make up one
@Dan Ryan: The scandal is his political career. No theories required.
Something is off with this. Looks like he was pushed. Coveney trying not to look smug. Hopefully a general election will happen, not another ‘leader’ who does not represent the wishes of the Irish people, especially one who has publicly stated that they want to double our population
@Tilal Moore:they were going to have a no confidence vote on him as leaders. Which he would have lost . So saved him self Embarrassment
@Tilal Moore: You missed out a word. “Who does not represent the wishes of “some of” the Irish people…”.
You can’t claim that ALL Irish people have the same views as yourself.
@Tilal Moore: Where did he publicly state that he wants to double our population?
@Jason Memail: That was Coveney in 2017 & in 2018 that Cork’s population would treble by 2038
@Sal Paradise: obviously no leader could represent the wishes of all Irish people. We do need someone though who will listen to the concerns of the majority on important issues like healthcare, immigration planning, carer support etc. A general election is the fairest way of allowing the general public to use their voice
You never where the best for the job
@Navanman: why don’t you put your name down for it then
@Navanman: *were
@Fiona Wyse: That’s the kind of quizzical retort you’d expect from a 6 year old.
St Patrick’s revenge.
@JP: best comment so far lmao!
Don’t be fooled into believing this was honourable. There is no honour in that man. He ran from a sinking ship. His name will still be attached to the many many screw ups.. He achieved nothing!
@Eoghan Augusta: he did achieve something though… he’s completely fecked us all over and now he gets to walk away from his mess. Probably has a cushy job in thr EU set up now.
@Morticia Byrne: How, with full employment, a booming economy, majority of people own their own home, airlines and airports packed with holiday makers, you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting a new car ?
The government are setting up an enquiry into the reasons he resigned it will be headed up by Judge Judy.
He never was the best person for the job.
He’s pulling a Bertie, the coward!! He stopped being the best person for the job when the government allowed rent prices to soar to ridiculous levels that they are now at
In the photo, he is turning him back to the camera .just like the way he has turned his back to the Irish people on so many occasions
You never were the best person for the job. Just a little Torieboy boot licker.
You ruined our country . Now take your fg/FF buddies with you. The hardship and damage you have caused on working class people is unbelievable. Maggie Thatcher would be proud of you.
Brilliant at the beginning of pandemic, and if you don’t recognise this you’re fooling yourself, but quite bad on the big issues like housing and health system. Yes, indeed, he was perfect for the rich, for lgbt (no pb with that), but not everybody is rich or gay. He shouldn’t allowed this housing crisis, that’s absolutely incredible the way we are in now where the medium rent in Dublin is 80% of a medium wage.
@Chris: Yes, the memorable quotes from Mean Girls in his national address at the Covid outset was truly brilliant. A true statesman. Definitely not an infantile narcissist.
Good riddance
Don’t like the guy or his party, but that takes balls in fairness. He’s gone up.in my estimations. He’s now at a sum total of 1
Why do I feel like I want to open a bottle of Prosecco. This is the best news from the government in years.
FG have made no progress/improvements In the polls during Varadkar’s 7 year tenure. They have lost several by-elections and just recently the 2 referendums, in what was a disastrous result. The worst leader in FG’s history and one of the worst Taoisigh – he won’t be missed.
Considering he and ffg have had power since the foundation of the state and civil war politics are nearly finished, The grift will go on and on and on ,ps as much as I disagree with the man’s politics , I believe in democracy and he is the leader of of government and I respect that office,
That took a long time to come to that realization…
I think I must be mad, because I believe all those who enter politics should be admired and respected no matter what their political leaning. It is not easy having your family life upset and the unnecessary vile criticism of you constantly. All TDs enter the Dail to do the best they can for the country and not for the money. If it was for money we would have thousands on each ballot paper. All politicians get it wrong but then the are human. As a wise man once said ” he who makes no mistakes knows nothing “
@finbarr walsh: ya you’re mad
All I’ll say is thank God we had a Taoiseach who was a doctor at the start of the pandemic.
@Dawn O’Shea: And while we were building a new children’s hospital too. Made all the difference. Great work Leo.
@Dawn O’Shea: Yes, I’ll remember him for his efforts during the pandemic. He did more there and then to help Irish people and I’ve heard English people praising him and wishing their country had had better oversight. He also volunteered when he didn’t have to. Credit where it’s due; he did his part.
He never was the best person for the job!
“… Continue going forward” , “protect all that’s been achieved…” The man is deluded, the country hasn’t been in this bad a state for a long, long time. I struggled to watch that video, FFS, the guy is starting to cry at one stage !
Do I see Harris rubbing his hands (see photo) with glee anticipating his chances of being the next Taoiseach?
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