Bishop of Cashel in favour of Republic of Ireland abortion law change

Bishop Michael Burrows

In a letter to his diocese, the Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory, the Rt Rev Michael Burrows, has said that he will be voting for the repeal of the Republic of Ireland Constitution's 8th Amendment (on abortion) because he believes that "the text of the Eighth is incorrigibly flawed". 

He adds: "While I may be anxious about what may happen next, I believe sufficiently in parliamentary democracy to hand the matter to legislators and indeed to trust them – that is their duty and their vocation. 

"As I said at the Citizens’ Assembly, it would be tragic if the cynicism that often seems (largely unfairly) to surround politicians made us less than mindful of the privilege of living in a parliamentary democracy. 

"It has always been the practice of the Church of Ireland to pray unceasingly for our legislators – in the coming months they may need that prayer perhaps more than ever."