A senior Minister signalled yesterday that Ireland will not seek to block EU funding for embryonic stem-cell research, despite strong opposition to it from Fianna Fáil MEPs and the Catholic Church. Stephen Collins, Political Correspondent, reports
The Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Micheál Martin, defied a call from the Catholic bishops and indicated that the Government will not stand in the way of a decision to allow some EU countries to proceed with the research.
Speaking on TV3's The Political Party, Mr Martin indicated that the Government would not be seeking to reverse a decision of the European Parliament on the issue.
"Well, it's not that we're approving it for Ireland, because it won't be in Ireland. We believe in Ireland that for social policy issues, that we want to retain the right for Ireland to make up its own mind," said the Minister.
"We don't want Europe telling us what to do. The danger I have is that if we start lecturing other countries in terms of what they should do, they could start trying to lecture us, on issues like abortion and other social issues."
When the issue came before the European Parliament last week, the majority of Ireland's 13 MEPs, including all four Fianna Fáil representatives, voted against EU funding for embryonic stem cell research over the next seven years.
In their first vote on the funding issue, MEPs agreed that EU cash could be used for research into human stem cells, both adult and embryonic, depending on the content of each scientific proposal. But strict conditions will continue to apply to the use of human embryonic cells, they agreed. Each project will be required to show that the research could not be conducted with adult stem cells such as those extracted from bone marrow.
A majority of EU governments favour continuing this approach.
Most of the Republic's 13 MEPs are opposed to the use of EU cash to fund research using human embryonic stem cells. Fianna Fáil MEPs voted against any such funds.
Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward said in a statement: "My particular concerns are in relation to the right of individual member states to control the research that is carried out in their countries as well as guaranteeing the utmost respect for the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the human being."
Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa and Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle both voted in favour of funding for stem-cell research.
The Irish bishops expressed strong opposition to the move in advance of the vote.
"The crucial issue is that using a human embryo as an object of research is nothing short of destruction of human life," a statement from the bishops said.
"A question of such profound moral and human significance should not be treated under the heading of research funding."