Dublin, Ireland, Mar 21, 2019 / 12:22 pm
The Irish Bishops' Conference has objected to job requirements mandating that certain consultant doctors be willing to participate in abortions, saying that the country's new abortion law had promised to safeguard conscience rights for medical professionals.
"This precondition runs totally counter to a doctor's constitutional and human right to freedom of conscience," said the bishops, according to The Irish Catholic.
"This totally undermines the whole concept of freedom of conscience which was guaranteed in the recent legislation," they added.
In a statement following their Spring 2019 General Meeting in Maynooth, the bishops of Ireland addressed an advertisement for two consultants at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin. As a job requirement, the candidates for the Obstetrics/Gynecology and Anesthesia positions must be willing to take part in abortions.