Orange Order leader Mervyn Gibson: It’s wrong to link Irish language act to abortion issue

Rev Mervyn Gibson, grand secretary of the Orange Order, said it was “ill-judged” of the Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Rev Trevor Gribben to “muddy the waters” by linking the two issues.

Rev Gribben said in a radio interview yesterday morning that opposing the liberalisation of Northern Ireland’s abortion laws was “too serious” to be held up by “pointless debates over the Irish language”.

In July, MPs passed a motion compelling the government to deregulate Northern Ireland’s abortion rules unless Stormont is restored by October 21.

One of the major sticking points in talks to restore the Assembly is the stalemate between Sinn Fein and the DUP on an Irish language act.

The leaders of each of Ireland’s four largest churches – including Presbyterian Moderator Rt Rev Dr William Henry – called for political parties to make the “compromises necessary” to restore devolution and halt the abortion reforms.

Rev Gribben, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster after the letter was issued, said: “We’re saying to all parties that people need to set aside their red lines. The issue of unrestricted abortion is too serious to be having what are pointless debates over the Irish language.”

Rev Gribben added: “The Irish language is no threat to me.”

But, speaking to the News Letter yesterday, Rev Mervyn Gibson said Rev Gribben’s comments were “ill-judged”.

He explained: “I supported the church leaders in their call for a stop to the introduction of this legislation in Northern Ireland. I supported their calls for compromise and, indeed, my own congregation prayed to stop the abortion bill coming to Northern Ireland and also prayed for compromise in respect of the talks.

“Where I would disagree (with Rev Gribben) – and he doesn’t speak for me on this – is in linking it to the Irish language debate.

“I believe that is wrong. I think there are good reasons why people oppose it (an Irish language act) and it’s a separate debate to abortion.”

He added: “They are entirely different debates and to merge them just muddies the water.”

The grand chaplain of the Orange Order has said the institution is “in agreement” with church leaders in their calls for a halt to the abortion reforms due to pass on October 21.

Rev John Noble said: “In terms of their opposition to the introduction of the changes to the abortion legislation, we certainly are in agreement.

“As an institution we have expressed deep disappointment that the legislation is being introduced by Westminster, without any reference to the political parties and electorate of Northern Ireland. So we would certainly oppose it.”

Meanwhile, 18 Protestant church leaders from five different denominations have urged the DUP in a letter to this newspaper to “publicly offer a standalone Irish language act in an effort to restore Stormont”.