Editor’s note. This appeared today on the blog of John Smeaton, executive director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) at http://spuc-director.blogspot.com/2010/12/spokesmen-available-for-interview-re.html

Tomorrow (at 11:00 French time, 10:00 UK time) the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, will deliver its judgment in the "A, B & C" case of three Irish women who have challenged Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion. SPUC is an intervening party in the case (read SPUC’s joint submission with other pro-life groups).
Patrick Buckley, of European Life Network Ireland and of SPUC, told the media earlier today:

“We hope that the court will respect Ireland’s national sovereignty by leaving the Irish Constitution’s ban on abortion alone. The Irish Supreme Court last year ruled* that the Irish Constitution trumps the European Convention on Human Rights, because the Convention is not part of Irish law and therefore not directly applicable in Irish cases.

“Thus far the European Court of Human Rights has never interfered in the constitutions of European nation-states. Ireland must dismiss out of hand any such interference if the court attempts it in its judgment tomorrow. In protecting the unborn from abortion Ireland is fulfilling its duty under international human rights law to protect the lives of its innocent citizens”.

Liam Gibson of SPUC will be outside the court tomorrow both before and after the judgment. He and other SPUC spokesmen will be available to the media for comment.