Marie Stopes abortion clinic opens in Belfast

[Minder]

I would say Dawn Purvis will be some asset to that place.

[Maguire01]

Re the question about SF, I can understand why they are going to try to avoid this one like the plague as I can remember the division in the ranks when they were briefly pro-abortion in the early 80's. There is a very active lobby within the Party pushing hard for a return to this policy which were effectively silenced at the recent Ard Fheis and on the other hand there was a councillor down the country reprimanded for speaking at a pro-life meeting "in a personal capacity". Can't ride two horses forever I'd imagine.

But they'll try - here's Sue Ramsey:
"Sinn Fein is not in favour of abortion nor do we believe that the 1967 British Abortion Act should be extended to the six counties. We believe where a woman's life or mental health is at risk or in grave danger that the final decision rests with the woman."

In general it doesn't look like too many politicians are going to stick their head above the parapet - Anna Lo is the only one i've heard to date - has there been anyone else?

[Maguire01]

I passed the protest yesterday and must admit I found some of the images very disturbing to the extent I wasn't able to get two posters in particular out of my head all night. One linked below (don't click if you are squeamish):

Worth noting that a lot of the pictures on those posters aren't from medical abortions under 9 weeks, so they have little relevance to the clinic in Belfast, as the law stands.

[Maguire01]

The thing with abortion is that everything IS black and white. If you abort, a baby dies; if you don't abort, a baby lives. It is that simple.

Everything is black and white? That's one thing that you say is black and white, and it's surrounded by a lot of grey. Also, "if you don't abort", a baby may still die.

[Maguire01]

With regards women who are raped, I can't agree that aborting the baby is the right option. Two wrongs don't make a right. Not only is the woman going to have to deal with the trauma of being sexually assaulted, but she is also going to have to deal with the trauma of the abortion.

Maybe the trauma of the abortion is less of a trauma than continuing with the pregnancy. It's not always as simple as you might like to portray.

[seafoid]

The fact is that thousands of Irish women have abortions anyway every year. It is immature to ignore this and pretend Ireland is different. That shite about Ireland being more moral than perfidious England was never true either. CF child abuse.

[Ulick]

I passed the protest yesterday and must admit I found some of the images very disturbing to the extent I wasn't able to get two posters in particular out of my head all night. One linked below (don't click if you are squeamish):

Worth noting that a lot of the pictures on those posters aren't from medical abortions under 9 weeks, so they have little relevance to the clinic in Belfast, as the law stands.

The Stokes clinic favours abortion on demand no matter what time from conception and they lobby for that to happen. So IMO if someone wants to protest against them setting up shop here the posters are relevant.

[lawnseed]

its well worth noting that the handful of women travelling to the uk for abortions from the six counties wouldnt pay the rent of that building in belfast if they were to avail of the stopes' services. in truth stopes are here to service the whole island and will infact make a fortune from private patients from south of the border probably setting their rates slighty below the cost of a plane ticket and acommodation in the uk.

[Maguire01]

its well worth noting that the handful of women travelling to the uk for abortions from the six counties wouldnt pay the rent of that building in belfast if they were to avail of the stopes' services. in truth stopes are here to service the whole island and will infact make a fortune from private patients from south of the border probably setting their rates slighty below the cost of a plane ticket and acommodation in the uk.

On the basis that Marie Stopes is a not-for-profit organisation, your post makes no sense.

And as for the 'handful' of women who travel from NI, as far as i'm aware, it's just under 1,000 a year.

[Ulick]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

[Maguire01]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

But not necessarily from each clinic. I doubt the set-up in Belfast, small and with no surgical element, would be too costly for an organisation of that size.

[Ulick]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

But not necessarily from each clinic. I doubt the set-up in Belfast, small and with no surgical element, would be too costly for an organisation of that size.

The way I see it there is merit to what lawnseed has said. On the one hand they've already announced their intention to push the perimeters of the law in the north, so that'll be abortions on demand for anyone under nine weeks. Everyone else gets referrals to their clinics in Liverpool, Manchester or wherever. That should tie up the "Irish market" nicely for them. 

[Tony Baloney]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

But not necessarily from each clinic. I doubt the set-up in Belfast, small and with no surgical element, would be too costly for an organisation of that size.

The way I see it there is merit to what lawnseed has said. On the one hand they've already announced their intention to push the perimeters of the law in the north, so that'll be abortions on demand for anyone under nine weeks. Everyone else gets referrals to their clinics in Liverpool, Manchester or wherever. That should tie up the "Irish market" nicely for them.

Is the bulk of their work for dolls that get caught short after a night out? An extreme version of the morning after pill. I remember reading previously about dolls having multiple abortions. Should be locked up.

[tyssam5]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

But not necessarily from each clinic. I doubt the set-up in Belfast, small and with no surgical element, would be too costly for an organisation of that size.

The way I see it there is merit to what lawnseed has said. On the one hand they've already announced their intention to push the perimeters of the law in the north, so that'll be abortions on demand for anyone under nine weeks. Everyone else gets referrals to their clinics in Liverpool, Manchester or wherever. That should tie up the "Irish market" nicely for them.

Is the bulk of their work for dolls that get caught short after a night out? An extreme version of the morning after pill. I remember reading previously about dolls having multiple abortions. Should be locked up.

Yes or stoned!

[Tony Baloney]

Even "not-for-profit" organizations, especially political campaigning ones like Stopes have to make money.

But not necessarily from each clinic. I doubt the set-up in Belfast, small and with no surgical element, would be too costly for an organisation of that size.

The way I see it there is merit to what lawnseed has said. On the one hand they've already announced their intention to push the perimeters of the law in the north, so that'll be abortions on demand for anyone under nine weeks. Everyone else gets referrals to their clinics in Liverpool, Manchester or wherever. That should tie up the "Irish market" nicely for them.

Is the bulk of their work for dolls that get caught short after a night out? An extreme version of the morning after pill. I remember reading previously about dolls having multiple abortions. Should be locked up.

Yes or stoned!

They must have been to repeatedly forget to use contraception.