A tweet posted on the official Oireachtas Twitter account, @OireachtasNews, on Wednesday morning explained that a re-tweet about abortion had been removed.
A message from prominent anti-abortion campaigner Cora Sherlock referring to Minister for Health Leo Varadkar's intervention in Tuesday's abortion debate was re-tweeted by @OireachtasNews on Tuesday night.
It came after Mr Varadkar told the Dáil existing abortion legislation had no regard for a mother’s long-term health.
As a woman with epilepsy, I am deeply offended & shocked by @campaignforleo where he supports abortion on demand @epilepsyireland
— Cora Sherlock (@CoraSherlock) December 16, 2014By using epilepsy to further his campaign for abortion on demand, @campaignforleo has shown that epilepsy stigma is alive & well. #shame
— Cora Sherlock (@CoraSherlock) December 16, 2014“If a stroke, heart attack or epileptic seizure happens, perhaps resulting in a permanent disability as a result, then that is acceptable under our laws. I don’t think that’s right,” he said.
Mr Varadkar was speaking in the Dáil on a private members’ Bill tabled by Independent TD Clare Daly.
Afterwards, Ms Sherlock, who is a lawyer, tweeted her criticism of Mr Varadkar’s remarks.
Her tweet, which was re-tweeted by @OireachtasNews, stated: “As a woman with epilepsy, I am deeply offended & shocked by @campaignforleo where he supports abortion on demand @epilepsyireland”.
At 9.30 on Wednesday morning, this tweet was posted on @OireachtasNews: “We have removed a re-tweet from our account.It wasn’t a sanctioned re-tweet and so wasn’t an official statement/endorsement”.
In subsequent tweets, Ms Sherlock accused Mr Varadkar of calling “for abortion on demand using epilepsy as excuse”.
She also said: “By using epilepsy to further his campaign for abortion on demand, @campaignforleo has shown that epilepsy stigma is alive & well. #shame”.
