Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, Abortion, Peadar Toibin TD

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, Abortion, Peadar Toibin TD

Peadar Toibin TD has stood firm in the face of immense internal party pressure to vote with the Sinn Fein leadership in relation to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013.

Toibin has received overwhelming support from his constituents in Meath West, who believe that the northern leadership of Sinn Fein has lost touch with reality and are unable to make anything other than populist judgements based on tabloid headlines. Many are calling for Toibin to stand at the next General Election as an independent republican and break with the northern lead Sinn Fein grouping in Dail Eireann.

Sinn Féin has suspended its Meath West deputy Peadar Toibín for six months after he went against the whip on the abortion vote.

Mr Toibín voted in favour of an amendment to remove the suicide clause from the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 during the debate on the legislation last night. The amendment was rejected by the Government.

Shortly after the final vote on the Bill, Sinn Féin whip Aengus Ó Snodaigh confirmed Mr Toibín had been suspended from the parliamentary party for six months.

Mr Toibín has already been removed as the chair of the Petitions Committee due to his opposition to the party’s position on the abortion Bill.

In a statement Mr Ó Snodaigh said: “Sinn Féin has supported the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill and all Sinn Féin TDs were mandated to vote for this legislation.

“The decision this evening by Peadar Toibín TD to vote against the Sinn Féin position is a serious breach of party rules.

“As a consequence Peadar Toibín has been suspended from Sinn Féin for six months with immediate effect.”