Adoption proposal condemned

Briefing: pro-lifers always, and rightly, prefer children to be given up by their mothers for adoption, than for them to be killed. It is important to bear in mind that this is a (legitimate) use of the 'lesser of two evils' argument. Where abortion is illegal, as in Ireland, the right of children to be brought up by their natural parents should be protected by law, at least when the parents are married.

From SPUC: The Crisis Pregnancy Agency in Ireland has suggested that the law should be changed to allow married couples to have unwanted children adopted. Ms Caroline Spillane was speaking to a parliamentary committee and also described her organisation's campaign to get young people to delay their first sexual intercourse. [Irish Times, 24 July] Patrick Buckley of European Life Network said of the adoption proposal: "This suggestion is completely unacceptable and should be resisted. It is contrary to both the Irish Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. If families are in financial difficulty, it would be more appropriate for the state to provide adequate assistance rather than breaking them up. Every child has a right to be raised in his or her family of origin."