Clarity needed on rogue agencies regulations

Labour Party Leader, Brendan Howlin TD has called on the Government to progress legislation on regulating rogue crisis pregnancy agencies.

Deputy Howlin commented:

“Earlier today the Taoiseach was unable to provide any clarity as to when regulations will be introduced on rogue crisis pregnancy agencies. The Taoiseach said it is of grave concern to him and the Minster for Health that these regulations are introduced, yet a year on since this story was broken by The Times Ireland, there seems to be no sense of urgency around introducing regulations.

“Last October, the Labour Party published a bill to regulate crisis pregnancy counsellors. In November, this Bill passed second stage in Dáil Éireann, and we were given a commitment by Minister Simon Harris that it would be progressed as a matter of urgency. Our Bill was scrutinised by the Oireachtas committee back in March and we were promised a statutory instrument to deal with the issue before the summer recess, which never materialised.

“While the debate around repeal of the eighth begins in communities across Ireland, there are women who right now are being lied to in the most grotesque fashion, at a time of exceptional vulnerability. Women in crisis pregnancy situations are being told that abortion increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer, or that women who have had abortions will later abuse or neglect their children.

“This behaviour is an appalling abuse of a position of trust and power, and it must be brought to an end.”