THE Pro Life Campaign has urged its members to intensify their lobbying of politicians in order to obtain a third referendum on abortion.
The campaign chairman, Mr Des Hanafin, told a meeting in Dublin last night it was impossible for party leaders to "resist the public support for a referendum".
In its "pre election position paper" A New Amendment - The People's Right, the group has repeated its proposal, announced earlier, for an addition to the existing Article dealing with the right to life of the unborn.
The extra sentence would read: "No law shall be enacted, and no provision of this Constitution shall be interpreted, to render induced abortion lawful in the State."
The document deals with the conclusion of the Constitution Review Group that a constitutional ban would prevent a doctor treating a mother if it resulted in the termination of her pregnancy.
However, it argues that the term "induced abortion" has a clear meaning. "An induced abortion is in contrast to a spontaneous abortion, and refers to a procedure or intervention which is directed at, and has as its primary or predominant or sole object, the death of an unborn child."
Mr Hanafin said recent opinion polls showed a majority of the electorate supported a new referendum. "We believe that abortion should be constitutionally prohibited and have proposed the means to do it."
Prof William Binchy told the Dublin meeting of more than 300 people that the demand for a new referendum was an "entirely reasonable position". The document represented a "clear sighted" and "humane policy" and it was "legally coherent and politically consistent".
He argued that the wording allowed for all necessary medical treatment for mothers "even if this impacts detrimentally on the unborn". And he urged members to argue this "on doorsteps, in newspapers and on radio and television.
"There are no votes to be got by ignoring what people are saying on this particular issue," he said.
Another committee member, Ms Geraldine Martin, told the meeting there needed to be "a firm commitment to lobby their politicians and to get all activists in their area to lobby their politicians". She said members should remind politicians that they want a "pro life" referendum. "And remind them that it is the democratic right of the people."
