Submission to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution
(Ireland)
19 June, 2000
Full Text
19 - 06 - 2000
Do-An Toireachtas-fo-choiste illphairti ar an
Mbunreacht
Do Brian Olionnachain, Cathaoirleach
A Mhic ui Lionnachain,
Ar do chaothúlacht, abair le do chómhleacaithe ar
an gcóiste, chomh sasta is ataim gur lig sibh dom mo
smaointe I scribhinn, a chur ós bhur gcómhair mar
gheall ar chosantacht choinsiasa. Treaslaim gur
pribhléid é, duine mar mise, nach mbainneann le
H-Éirinn,bheith I ndon comhra libh faoi bhur
mBunreacht agus faoi bhur diospóireacht inmheanach.
Ní faoi geinmhilleadh,ach faoi saoirse
choinsiasa, chomh fada is a bhaineann sé le cursai
leighis faoi lathair, ata na smaointe seo. Mo
lean-na h-argointi faoi chúrsai léighis go dtí
seo-ni raibh siad riamh curtha, ionas go mbeadh,mar
deir diad (seal mhachnamh stuamtha), agus mar gheall
air sin ni raibh aon mhachnamh deanta ar na rudai a
tharlaionn dóibh siud ata in aghaidh geinmhilleadh
de réir choinsiasa.
Níl sé deacair a thuiscint cén fáth a tharla se
seo. Núair ata na hargointi seo in aghaidh go leor
daoine (mar ata leirithe ag Dr. Declan Keane) - tá
sé soileir nach mbéidh aon duine ina aghaidh. Ní mar
sin ata sé ins an domhain mór, mar ata leirithe ag
cúrsai an tsaol.
Tá suil agam go mbéidh sé seo mar chabhair ag an
bhfo-chóiste agus go mbéidh cosaint choinsiasa mar
bharr-chlarr in Éirinn.
Is mise
Le mór-mheas,
Sean Murphy
19 June, 2000
The All-Party Oireachtais Committee on the
Constitution,
Fourth Floor, Phoenix House,
7-9 South Leinster Streets,
Dublin 2
Republic of Ireland
ATTN: Mr. Brian Lenihan, TD, Chairman
Dear Mr. Lenihan:
Please convey my thanks to the members of the
Committee for the generosity they have displayed in
allowing me to make a written submission concerning
protection of conscience. I recognise that it is a
privilege for someone who is not a citizen to
address a committee of a national government
concerning its own constitution and laws.
This submission is not about abortion, but about
freedom of conscience in relation to morally
controversial medical procedures. Unfortunately,
discussions about such procedures have not always
been accompanied by sufficient reflection about
their impact on those who object to them for reasons
of conscience.
It is not difficult to understand why this has
occurred. When the procedure in question is
objectionable to large numbers of people (as
indicated in the testimony of Dr. Declan Keane), it
is usually assumed that no one would be forced to
participate in it. Experience indicates that, in the
long run, this is not the case.
I hope that this submission will assist the
Committee with its work, and that protection of
conscience will receive due consideration in future
developments in Ireland.
Sincerely,
Sean Murphy,
Administrator
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