Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin refuses to endorse abortion in cases of incest

The Fianna Fáil leader was speaking to Shane Beatty on KFM earlier on Thursday.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has conceded that a referendum on repealing the eight amendment of the constitution is inevitable, but refused to support those who would choose to have an abortion after being raped by a member of their own family.

Speaking to Shane Beatty on KFM, a prickly exchange saw Martin defend doggedly his pro-life stance, although he did distance himself from Richard Bruton's comments on Wednesday in which the Education Minister said the government would not be bound by the recent recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly.

A transcript of the interview, which you can listen to here, reads as follows...

Shane Beatty: “If someone is raped by their father, for example, and becomes pregnant as a result, what’s your view in that case?”

Micheál Martin: “Well it’s not that simple Shane…”

SB: “Well, someone’s either pregnant or not pregnant…”

MM: “They are indeed…”

SB: “…so it’s not that complex?”


MM: “Well it actually is in terms of the… (dithers)… in terms of… (dithers)… are you talking 10 weeks? Are you talking 20 weeks?”

SB: “I’m talking about a father raping his daughter.”

MM: “Well it’s not that simple. It’s just not that simple.”

SB: “So (a woman becomes pregnant after being raped by her father) and you don’t see that as a simple yes or no?”

MM: “Well I don’t actually, it’s not a simple ‘yes or no’, that depends on a number of issues. I know people today who are alive through their mother being raped. In one particular case she was the outcome of that and she gets very angry when people suggest she should never have had a life. This is not simple, and I think it’s an issue that’ll come before the Oireachtas.”

When asked about Bruton’s view that the Government will not be bound by the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly, Martin claimed it was inevitable that there would be a referendum at some point.

The Fianna Fáil leader also refused to confirm that he would vote ‘No’ in any such referendum, but stressed that he comes from a Pro-Life background.

LISTEN: I asked the Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin for his views on abortion. In particular, becoming pregnant as a result of invest. https://t.co/1iOzaYWG5g — Shane Beatty 🎙 (@ShaneBeattyNews) May 4, 2017