'Vindicated' Cura option leaflet rejects reinstated
Thursday May 25 2006
It was learned last night that Cura has written to the four Letterkenny-based women - Pauline Roarty, Mary Kelly, Phil Murray and Anne Farren - offering to reinstate them as voluntary workers in the agency.
The offer came after months of activity on their behalf by Bishop Boyce, a staunch pro-life campaigner. The dismissal of the women came a year ago after they published a letter in the 'Irish Catholic' newspaper protesting against Cura's policy of making available to women with crisis pregnancies "option leaflets" which contained phone contacts of services providing abortions.
The women claimed that this practice was contrary to Cura's ethos, but they were sacked by Cura for breaching confidentiality. The Episcopal Conference last June asked Cura to withdraw the options leaflets which they described as "unacceptable".
Last night, Seamus Farren, a spokesman for the women, told the Irish Independent: "The women have been offered reinstatement and they have accepted it. . They have been vindicated in their decision not to distribute the leaflets."
But it was unclear whether the s reinstatement will mean Cura's loss of its state funding.
