Major Row Erupts Over Hot Press Interview With Dr. Peter Boylan

A major row has erupted, following the publication of the Hot Press interview with Dr. Peter Boylan, which hit the streets today (in the issue with Ed Sheehan on the cover).

In what is a powerful interview, the former Master of the National Hospital has debunked many of the myths being peddled egregiously by the anti-choice campaign. However, to coincide with the publication of Hot Press, the latest deliberately misleading message was launched at a Save The 8th press conference in Dublin with spokesman John McGuirk appearing in front of grisly red 6 Months Is Horrific posters.

McGuirk has also launched a petition calling on Peter Boylan to resign as Chairman of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists – and claims to have over 3,000 signatures.

Dr. Boylan forensically rejects the more hysterical claims that the ‘No side have been pushing. It is a well known facet of the tactics of unscrupulous right-wing groups that they deliberately set out to exaggerate, distort the facts and where they can tell out and out lies – notably using social media advertising as a way of targeting what they deem to be the voters most vulnerable to scare mongering.

Dr. Boylan is clear that the Eighth Amendment has resulted in the death of a number of identifiable women.

"Savita Halappanavar died as a result of the Eighth Amendment,” he tells Hot Press’ Jason O'Toole in the interview. "Michelle Harte, who was looked after by Professor Louise Kenny, died as a consequence of the Eighth Amendment. Sheila Hodgers died as a consequence of the Eighth Amendment. We have the Miss P Case."

The latter is a reference to the horrendous case, heard in 2014, where – inspired by the provisions of the Eighth Amendment – a brain-dead pregnant woman was being artificially kept alive in order to potentially “save the baby”. The woman’s family had to go to the High Court to secure a judgement that they were entitled to instruct the hospital to turn off the life support machine, even though this meant that the foetus could not survive.

The story has been carried on a number of major media platforms, and has been among the Most Read articles of the day, including on the Irish Times website.