Pro-life tradition threatened.Belfast--After four and a half years of Direct Rule by Westminster, Northern Irish voters went to the polls on March 7, 2007, with the resulting government supposedly being a coalition of the Democratic Unionist Party This article is about the political party in Northern Ireland. For other parties with the name, see Democratic Unionist Party (disambiguation). The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP (Ian Paisley, 36 seats) and the nationalist Sinn Fein (Gerry Adams, 28 seats). The coalition would have a majority in the 108-seat Assembly and the British would like it to start on March 26, but the Rev. Paisley may still have questions. During the period of Direct Rule, the British government sought to impose several pieces of legislation which contradicted the traditional values of Northern Irish people, most of whom are pro-life and pro-family. One such directive came from the Department of Health, which dictated that all hospitals were required to commit abortion, and that abortion establishments be given permission to open. This became an election issue with candidates of both main parties and others from the Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is one of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland. (16 seats) championing the cause of the unborn. The second issue is that of homosexual adoption 'rights.' This has already caused much controversy in England and Wales England and Wales are both constituent countries of the United Kingdom, that together share a single legal system: English law. Legislatively, England and Wales are treated as a single unit (see State (law)) for the conflict of laws. . (See "No exemption for Catholic adoption agencies," C.L, March 2007, pp. 30-31). Under Direct Rule provisions, British Secretary of State, Peter Hain, rushed the Sexual Orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. Regulations through in only six weeks, as distinct from the six months allocated in Britain. Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh and the four Northern bishops have joined together for a judicial review of the Regulations, to start on June 3 of this year. In Scotland, the Catholic bishops also have begun their own legal action against the new adoption law. They are grounding their legal challenge on Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights “ECHR” redirects here. For the court, see European Court of Human Rights. The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR , which guarantees "freedom of thought, conscience and religion." [Editor: we wish them Godspeed against the EU.] Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahem a·hem interj. Used to attract attention or to express doubt or warning. ahem interj a clearing of the throat, used to attract attention or express doubt Noun 1. has inaugurated a "structured dialogue" between the state and the churches. In his address Mr. Ahern attacked "aggressive secularism sec·u·lar·ism n. 1. Religious skepticism or indifference. 2. The view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education. " which, he stated, denies religion any role in the public domain. He considers this unacceptable. |
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