'Animals get better healthcare than women in crisis pregnancy' , claims Irish farmers

Irish farmers claim their animals are entitled to better healthcare than women in crisis pregnancy in Ireland.

“As a farmer it’s not right that my cows can get better healthcare and more compassion from me, my husband, my family and our vet than the pregnant women who are in crisis in Ireland,” said dairy farmer Lorna Sixsmith.

“I know that many, many other farmers feel exactly the same.

“Women need better healthcare and compassion.

“They need an Ireland that can put them first”, she said.

Ms Sixsmith was joined by Minister for Fisheries Michael Creed who is also in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment.

He said he travelled a “journey” to get to the place where he was in favour of changing the law.

“My own journey on this has been having watched the debates and the campaigns, it’s abundantly clear to me that the blue book – the constitution has no role to play in terms of medical care for women going through pregnancy.

“That is best left to women and their caring physician,” said the minister.

Also present was former head of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), Eddie Downey.

Calling for a ‘Yes’ vote he said: “Really, we can’t continue to treat women in this manner, we can’t continue to export this problem.

“If we don’t remove the Eighth Amendment we’ll end up with the same system as we have done for the last 35 years.”

Farmer and Green Party spokesperson for Agriculture, Pippa Hackett said that “farmers know more than most people about the problems that can occur during pregnancy.

“And we deal with our animals very compassionately if an animal is going to be very sick or die because of a pregnancy.

“Unfortunately our women in Ireland do not get the same respect or treatment or compassion.

“It’s time we trusted women; we trust their doctors and allow them proceed with appropriate care for women and in particular during difficult pregnancies with out article 40.3.3. hanging over them.

“We’re about to take a major step forward in caring for our women” added Minister Creed.