The anti-abortion movement has stepped up its campaign in the wake of the Green Paper on abortion, telling supporters that there was "a lie at the core" of the document.
Addressing the Second International Pro-Life Conference held at the RDS, Dublin, over the weekend, Mr Justin Barrett, of Youth Defence, said that if the Government thought it could bring in some form of limited abortion, it was "just plain wrong".
"There is no limit to abortion for the child who is aborted and there will be no toleration for the murder of even one," he said.
Mr Joe Scheidler and the Rev Pat Mahoney, two controversial anti-abortion activists from the US, were the main guest speakers at the two-day event, which was attended by some 350 delegates.
According to Mr Barrett, the publication of the Green Paper meant the Government was conceding that Irish people were opposed to abortion in all circumstances. "They are finally admitting that the vast majority want the protection of the right to life constitutionally guaranteed."
The Government was "stupid" because it could not agree a wording for a referendum.
Journalists were refused entrance to the conference except to hear speeches by Irish antiabortion activists Ms Bernie Smyth, founder and chairwoman of Precious Life in Northern Ireland, and Mr Barrett, public relations officer for Youth Defence, which organised the conference.
Mr Barrett told members of the media, including a TV crew from BBC's Newsnight, that this was because coverage in the lead-up to the conference had focused on the presence of the US anti-abortion activists. "The rule is journalists can only come to the Irish speakers," he said.
Earlier, 15 members of the Dublin Abortion Rights Group (DARG) held an hour-long picket outside the conference. Spokeswoman Ms Mags Glennon said the picket had been organised in opposition to the tactics used by Youth Defence in targeting family planning clinics. "We are also opposed to the presence of Joe Scheidler," she said.
Mr Scheidler, the leader of the radical Pro-Life Action League, has received a criminal conviction for his anti-abortion activities in the US. He was fined $3,000,000 for his activities recently.
Delegates were unwilling to talk to journalists. One man wearing a black and white badge with the slogan "Racketeers For Life" said this was a "general rule" within the organisation.
One woman, Ms Elaine Cleary (18), from Thurles, Co Tipperary, was happy to talk, saying the importance of the conference was "protecting human life".
She said she agreed with a lot of the tactics used by Youth Defence. "You have to take action and speak out and show people what you believe in, otherwise you don't get noticed."
She said abortion was often glamorised but enough was not spoken or shown about the after-effects of the process.
The hall was decorated with red and yellow balloons printed with the words: "Together Against Abortion".
Ms Smyth, of Precious Life, the Northern Ireland wing of Youth Defence, which has closed down seven abortion referral agencies, came on stage to the tune of the Queen song Another One Bites the Dust.
The mother of three and former model spoke about the tactics of Precious Life, which has picketed the homes of family planning workers and was involved in what she called "sidewalk counselling".
She compared abortion to the plight of the Jews in concentration camps during the Holocaust. "I believe that Joe Scheidler will be the next Oskar Schindler."
Anti-abortion activists from Australia, France, Scotland, Spain and Canada also addressed the conference, but Mr Scheidler, known as the father of the "prolife" movement, was the most eagerly anticipated speaker.
Yesterday, a Youth Defence spokeswoman said she was not able to provide a copy of Mr Scheidler's speech on Saturday night because he had spoken off the cuff. "He is not available for interview."
On Saturday, he told a reporter that he was willing to be interviewed but that Youth Defence did not want him to speak. He said he did not understand its tactics in this regard as he felt it was important to get the pro-life message across.
Asked about his conviction for threatening women outside US abortion clinics, he said: "A lot of lies have been told about me."