Donegal Together For Yes!

Press Release
Date: 8 April 2018

12 Week Proposal Compassionate Way to

Support Rape Victims
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Following successful information stalls in Moville and Letterkenny on

Saturday Donegal Together for Yes have said that the government's 12
week limit on abortion is the only compassionate, workable way to support
rape victims.

They say that following extensive evidence from legal and medical experts
the Joint Oireachtas Committee came to the view that allowing for abortion
in early pregnancy is the most compassionate, reasonable and
straightforward way to support a woman or a girl who needs to end a
pregnancy that resulted from rape.

Speaking in Moville Cathie Shiels, spokesperson for Donegal Together for

Yes, said, “It is important that she be able to have an abortion, if that is
what she decides, when a rape has occured and to do so without having to
talk about the experience as this may re-traumatise her at a particularly
vulnerable time, or it might prevent her from seeking any care at all.”

In all of the 36 European countries that have legalised abortion on a

woman’s request, women and girls who are pregnant as a result of rape
can obtain a lawful abortion within the time limit. This means that they do
not have to take exceptional steps or fulfil special procedures to qualify for
legal abortion.

Donegal Rape Crisis Centre can be contacted on Freephone 1800 44 88 44

or 074 9128211. Their website is www.donegalrapecrisis.ie

ENDS
 Donegal Together For Yes!

Press Release
Date: 1 April 2018

MEN MUST SUPPORT WOMEN

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“Men have a duty to vote and to do so in support of the women

in their lives”
Donegal Together for Yes held information stalls in Letterkenny and
Buncrana on Saturday handing out information leaflets and
answering questions the public have about the referendum to
remove the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution. The issue of
men voting was a major issue in both locations.

“Abortion is still seen as a woman’s issue and while this is true

when it comes to the final decision whether to have an abortion or
not, the majority of women accessing abortion services are already
mothers and in relationships and so men really are a part of this
decision making process. They are the ones who travel with their
partners, or stay at home to mind the children they already have.
This is a decision for both women and men” said Sinead Stewart,
spokesperson for Donegal Together for Yes. . “We're all equal at the
ballot box, men have a duty to vote and to do so in support of the
women in their lives, their sisters, their wife or partner, their
mother and aunts, their daughters and granddaughters, their
friends.”
Nora Newell, Donegal Together for Yes Spokesperson, went on to
talk about a man at the stall in Letterkenny who said that he “hadn’t
really given any thought to the issue of abortion until his wife was
told that there was a problem with her pregnancy and that their
child would probably not survive beyond birth. This caused them
both such upset and distress as this was a much longed for child.
They were then faced with having to travel to the UK as abortion
healthcare was not provided here in Donegal. The man said that it
was then that he realised that the only way that we can genuinely
care for a family like his is to repeal the Eighth Amendment and to
provide a full range of pregnancy healthcare in Ireland, including
abortion.”

Sinéad Stewart, Inishowen Together For Yes Spokesperson, said she

feels very encouraged following the information stall in Buncrana on
Saturday. “In general, more people are engaging with us and
talking openly about the referendum and the consequences the
Eighth Amendment has imposed on everyone, not just women in
this country” she said. She went on to say “I had one very touching
conversation with an older man in Buncrana at the stall who was
visibly moved. He had heard we were in the Market Square and
wanted to come and thank us for taking the time to be there and
inform people about the realities faced by by both women and men.
He told me he would be very definitely voting yes in the referendum,
because ‘you know all about it when tragic circumstances come to
your own door.’”

Donegal Together for Yes point out that whichever way people vote
on 25th of May that women will still have abortions . By voting yes
we will be able to provide compassionate healthcare here in Ireland
and this is the decision the people of Ireland must make on May
25th. “It's time to look after our own, at home” said Ms Stewart.

The referendum will be held on the 25th of May and polling stations
will be open between 7am and 10pm. People should check that they
are registered to vote and they can check the register in any council
office, post office, Garda station or public library. They can also do
so online at www.checktheregister.ie. People can be included on the
Supplementary register by completing a form available online or at
any of the above locations. The deadline for the Supplementary
register is 8th May. The register for Postal votes and for Special
voters is 28th April.

ENDS
 Donegal Together For Yes!

Press Release
Date: 28 March 2018

DONEGAL TOGETHER FOR YES WELCOMES

REFERENDUM DATE ANNOUNCEMENT

“We now have just over eight weeks to remove the Eighth
Amendment from our Constitution”

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Donegal Together for Yes has welcomed the announcement by the

Minister for Health, Simon Harris and the Minister for Housing,
Eoghan Murphy that the Referendum to remove the Eighth
Amendment from the Constitution will be held on 25th May.

Speaking following the announcement Cathie Shiels, spokeswoman

for Donegal Together for Yes said, “We now have just over eight
weeks before we vote to remove the Eighth Amendment from the
Constitution, an amendment that has never achieved what it set out
to do. Instead, it has caused enormous hurt to women and their
families in Donegal and throughout Ireland.”

She continued to say that “the Eighth Amendment has forced any
woman who can afford it to travel to the UK or elsewhere in Europe
if she had been raped or if she had experienced a problem with her
pregnancy. Other women have been importing the safe but illegal
abortion pills, risking a 14 year prison sentence, for themselves and
anyone who helps them access abortion care in Ireland.

“By voting yes on 25th May we will be allowing a woman to make a

personal and private decision about her own life and her own health.
We will be allowing doctors and medical staff to give women and
girls the care they need without fear of breaking the law. Abortion
will be provided in a safe and regulated manner, in line with best
medical practice.”, she said.

Voting on the referendum will take place between 7am and 10pm on
Friday 25th May. People should check that they are on the register at
their post office, county council office or online at
www.checktheregister.ie. They can still get on the supplementary
register by completing form RFA2, available from all the above.

Ms Shiels urged everyone to check they are registered and to use

their vote.

ENDS
 Donegal Together For Yes!

Press Release
Date: 25 March 2018

CANVASSING FOR YES

Donegal Together For Yes delivered a training session for

canvassing leaders throughout the county in Ballybofey on
Saturday 25th March to prepare for asking the people of
Donegal to vote Yes in the referendum to remove the Eighth
Amendment.

*********

Young and old, they came from all parts of Donegal to learn how to
canvass with Donegal Together for Yes to remove the Eighth
Amendment from the constitution at a training session in Ballybofey
on Saturday.

Donegal Together for Yes will be running an intensive canvass that

aims to reach every town and village in the county in the weeks
running up to the referendum which is expected to be held on 25th
of May. The referendum will ask the people to vote on the removal
of the Eighth Amendment and to insert a new clause that will allow
the Oireachtas to legislate for the provision of safe, limited and
regulated abortion healthcare in Ireland.

“Donegal people are caring and compassionate, and believe that

everyone should have access to all necessary healthcare in Ireland.
The Eighth Amendment means that a woman who needs to end her
pregnancy because something goes wrong must travel to the UK or
elsewhere in Europe to access abortion services. This compounds the
tragedy for her, and her family, adding unnecessary stress and
heartache to an already distressing situation.

“By voting yes we will be allowing a woman who has problems with
her pregnancy or with a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality to
access abortion here in Ireland with the advice and support of her
doctor”, said spokesperson, Nora Newell.

Donegal Together for Yes point out that of the 3,265 women who
travelled to England and Wales to access abortion, 63 were from
Donegal and that others probably traveled to the Netherlands or
other parts of Europe. They say that there is also an unknown
number of women, estimates put figure at between 1,500 and 2,000,
who purchase abortion pills over the internet. They do so without
medical support or supervision.

Last week the Dáil passed the Bill for the referendum by a clear
majority. Local TD, Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher was one of those who
voted against it. This was described as disappointing by Donegal
Together for Yes.

The training was attended by a wide range of people, some of whom

had been involved in canvassing against the Eighth Amendment in
1983. Local TD Thomas Pringle attended the training along with
members and representatives of political parties that will be joining
and supporting the cavass.

Anyone wanting to get involved in Donegal Together for Yes can

contact them on their Facebook page.

ENDS