Divisive debate see Belfast City Council vote to illuminate City Hall for 'International Safe Abortion Day'

The council had received a request from the National Women’s Council of Ireland to illuminate city hall on September 28.

Councillors had previously approved the request at committee level, and the matter came before full council for a vote on Tuesday night.

DUP councillor Tracy Kelly proposed overturning the committee decision.

“What I would like to ask, lord mayor, is what exactly do we mean by a safe abortion?” she said.

“Safe for who? Safe for the baby in the womb, or its mother? A baby who should feel secure, protected, and able to grow into a tiny, precious human being. In an abortion, there's two people involved, and one is definitely not safe.”

She added that city hall “belongs to everyone in this city”.

“This party believes that lighting it up for a particular campaign, sends a message of endorsement on an issue that remains deeply contested.”

Her party colleague Sarah Bunting gave an emotional speech, to explain why she opposes the illumination.

“For me, this is deeply personal, as a mother who was endured the heartbreak of losing two children through miscarriage,” she said.

“I know the pain of discovering that a child you already loved, and for whom you had hopes and dreams, would never be coming home.”

TUV councillor Ron McDowell likewise said the proposal was “insensitive and divisive”.

But Greens councillor Aine Groogan countered that “unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths across the world”.

She said that making abortion illegal does not stop abortion, but only makes it unsafe.

Alliance counsellor Jenna Maghie also told a deeply personal story.

“My journey to my two beautiful girls came after three miscarriages through which I lost four babies. Two of those miscarriages required me to take the abortion pill three times.

“It strikes fear into my soul that there are women who will die because they do not have access to that.”

She supported the illumination.

Meanwhile People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins said that 145 women travelled to England in 2023 for abortions and that it was important to light up city hall “in solidarity” with them.

UUP councillor Sonia Copeland said the illumination would be “divisive”.

She added: “It gives lack of consideration for any woman or young girl who's been the victim of rape or incest and as a result, have become pregnant and felt they've had no other choice but to have an abortion.”

She deals with women in such situations regularly.

“And I've had a woman on the phone this week who was in that position. To me, these are deeply personal matters and matters which do not deserve celebration.”

But independent councillor Paul Doherty said there needed to be much more dialogue and understanding on the issue.

“I want to be clear tonight, neither say that this particular vote properly represents where I stand and with that, I think this issue deserves more understanding. More conversation and more humanity.”

The DUP proposal was lost by 18 votes to 36.

Councillors were informed the councill had received 750 email complaints about the proposal and of an online petition against it with over 18,000 signatures.