Former Sinn Féin MLA likens abortion to the Holocaust

A former Sinn Féin MLA has likened abortion to the Holocaust.
Francie Brolly.Francie Brolly.
Francie Brolly.

Francie Brolly from Dungiven made the comment when he was speaking about his membership of a new All-Ireland pressure group, ‘Cherish All The Children Equally Human Rights Association’.

The group has been formed to opppose the relaxation of abortion laws in the north, and repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Republic’s constitution, which protects the right to life of the unborn.

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Mr. Brolly, an MLA for Sinn Féin in East Derry between 2003 and 2009, said: “Abortion is not something I can accept at all. It’s savage.

Anne and Francie Brolly.Anne and Francie Brolly.
Anne and Francie Brolly.

“Maybe people will come to their senses in a hundred years, like Auschwitz, and say ‘how could we have allowed that to happen?’ It’s estimated that 50 million babies in the womb have been killed in America. If that’s not a Holocaust, what is? ”

Mr. Brolly is still a Sinn Féin party member, and said his colleagues have always been aware of his stance on abortion.

He said abortion is a big issue and believes that when Sinn Féin adopted their stance: “A lot of Catholic nationalists were asking ‘who do we vote for?’”

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Mr. Brolly believes the group will give people the chance to let their political parties “know if they’re going to follow a route against their conscience”.

Anne and Francie Brolly.Anne and Francie Brolly.
Anne and Francie Brolly.

Mr. Brolly’s wife, former Sinn Féin councillor and Limavady mayor, Anne, is also a leading member of the group.

Anne Brolly was first elected to Limavady Borough Council in 2001 and was the first nationalist mayor in the borough. She left the party and retired from politics in 2014. She said she had made it very clear, all along, her views on abortion.

“I will always support Sinn Féin regarding their ultimate aim towards a united Ireland, and I was always prepared to compromise on different policies, but being asked to compromise on principle was a step too far for me,” Mrs Brolly said.

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Mrs Brolly said the group has held meetings so far in Dublin, Cork, Kildare and Cookstown.

Both Anne and Francie Brolly hope people will attend a meeting in Dungiven, at Owenbeg GAA Centre of Excellence, on Thursday 17th of November at 8pm.

“We hope to create a great awareness with regard to this,” added Mrs. Brolly.