Ireland's politicians have been defended by the Catholic Bishop of Kilmore, Dr Leo O'Reilly, yesterday following criticisms that they had been inactive on the abortion issue.
Speaking in a personal capacity at a press conference in Maynooth yesterday, Bishop O'Reilly said: "To be fair, the politicians are confronted with a very complex and difficult situation. On the one hand there is the decision in the X case and on the other hand there is the democratic decision of the people of Ireland in a referendum that there should be no abortion in Ireland."
The situation was "not an easy one to square", he said.
On Monday the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Right Rev Michael Burrows, attacked the "systemic spinelessness" of politicians in failing to enact legislation to allow for abortion following the X case. The legislature had failed to address its responsibilities and instead expected people to put "blunt phrases" in the Constitution or judges to do "its dirty work".
Bishop Burrows made his remarks in a homily at a service in St Michan's Church of Ireland, Dublin, to mark the opening of the new law term. Among the congregation were the papal nuncio and senior judges.
Bishop O'Reilly repeated yesterday it was a core value of the Catholic Church that "human life is sacred at all stages".
