ANTI-abortion protesters who have held prayer vigils and tried to engage with women outside University Maternity Hospital Limerick have claimed that “divine providence” and not staff tip-offs inspires them to protest on the days when abortions are scheduled.
The Limerick Post reported last week that the ‘Together For Safety’ group claim that members of staff are leaking the times and dates of abortion procedures to pro-life groups involved in the protests.
A Limerick anti-abortion group has denied this, and said they have been gathering outside the hospital every Wednesday for several months.
Antoinette Fitzgibbon said in an interview with the Irish Independent that she usually would say the rosary on the public path outside of the hospital grounds and that she had “never harassed anybody”.
She said if pedestrians were passing, the group usually “lowers the tone” of the rosary.
“If Wednesday happens to be the day that they do the abortions, then it’s divine providence that it’s the day we happen to be there. And I should say, it’s a good kind of divine providence,” Ms Fitzgibbon said.
“And I have a feeling Wednesday will continue to be the day that we are there.”
Ms Fitzgibbon said she was concerned about attempts to ban anti-abortion protests, which she said would be removing her rights.
The Limerick-based ‘Together For Safety’ group has been campaigning for a year to have a legal safety zone around medical facilities where abortion services are offered, to prevent women running the gauntlet of protest groups.
Yvie Murphy, Together for Safety Co-Convener, told the Limerick Post they have been approached by staff members concerned at the leaking of such sensitive information.
“These actions speak to the urgency with which Safe Access Zone legislation is needed,” she said.
Meanwhile, Senator Paul Gavin has welcomed the advance of the Together for Safety bill in the Seanad last week.
The Castleconnell-based Senator said: “Huge credit must go to the Together For Safety organisation for their tireless campaigning on this issue.
“I am asking that the Minister for Health work with us to ensure that this Bill is further strengthened and completes its passage through the Seanad in the coming weeks.
“I remain concerned that four years after Safe Access legislation was first promised there still seems to be a marked reluctance on the part of the Department of Health to engage with this very important issue.”
