Sir, – It's not easy to have a useful friendly debate with my colleague, Ivana Bacik, because, when an irrefutable point is made, she answers an entirely different one (May 3rd). Let me try just once more.
The proposed legislation, if the Eighth Amendment is removed, will authorise the intentional ending of the lives of disabled babies. There are no restrictions on who may be aborted during the first 12 weeks of their lives. Any baby, disabled or not, may have his or her life intentionally ended. Ivana simply can’t deny this, because it is obviously true, yet she refuses to acknowledge it. From 12 weeks to the point of viability, both healthy and disabled babies will be aborted. We can’t at this stage be sure how many, but international experience gives little confidence that the number will be small. Even if the number were small, would that be a matter for satisfaction? Surely, the profound injustice to those babies calls us to reconsider the path we are on.
Finally, the proposed legislation unquestionably provides for abortion of babies, including healthy babies, up to birth. This is not a matter of interpretation or opinion. The language of the Scheme for Legislation explicitly so provides. The limitation to the point of viability does not apply to Grounds 5 and 6. I can’t put it any plainer: disabled babies will be aborted and abortion up to birth will be permitted. Rather than deny the undeniable, perhaps it would be better to address this prospect. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM BINCHY ,
Adjunct Professor of Law,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – With reference to “Photo shows extent of Fianna Fáil party backing for No vote” (May 3rd), I am staggered by the gender imbalance of the photograph. Of the 31 Fianna Fáil members in the photo, only five are women, all lined up in the front row as if to imply that these men are putting women first in their decision to vote No. The image speaks volumes about the attitude embedded in the campaign for a No vote. Women are tokens at best, poster-children for a campaign that is driven by the relentless patriarchy in this country. If these men really cared about the health and wellbeing of women, they would be voting Yes.
I am voting Yes to repeal the Eighth. When I enter the polling station, I will not have the weight of 26 male consciences behind me, just my own conviction that the women of Ireland deserve better. – Yours, etc,
DONNA ALEXANDER,
Douglas, Cork.
Sir, – Is it time to “call out” the 31 Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators who support the retention of the Eighth Amendment? Retaining the status quo appears to be their response to the need to recognise the reality of abortion today in Irish life.
Irish women do have abortions, some in England, many at home in the privacy of their own bathrooms. Removing the Eighth Amendment would allow access to medical care for these women here at home.The Government has spelled out the scope of its planned legislation to be introduced when the Eighth has been repealed. What future do these Fianna Fáil legislators plan for women who choose to travel overseas to terminate unviable pregnancies and, even more urgently, what access to medical care do they plan to offer women taking unregulated abortion pills within their own State? – Yours, etc,
NIAMH BHREATHNACH,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Those who wish to preserve the rights of unborn children are being accused of sloganeering. It is said that the facts printed on pro-life posters are lies. Any small bit of research can prove the truth and veracity of the statements on pro-life posters. The reality is that Yes posters are peddling a lie in their blatant omission of the word “abortion”. Words like “care”, “compassion”, “choice” on these posters ring hollow when we consider how little care, compassion or choice will be extended to pre-born children should the Eighth Amendment be repealed. I will be choosing to care and show compassion for all unborn children when I vote No on May 25th. – Yours, etc,
K MURPHY,
Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Sir, – For voters who support access to abortion in cases of rape and incest, there is only one clear decision; repeal and support for the proposed 12 week time limit. One of the primary reasons for the 12-week limit is to ensure rape victims who find themselves pregnant will have access to safe, legal abortion. Expert evidence given to both the Citizens’ Assembly and the Joint Oireachtas Committee explicitly stated that it would be impossible to legislate for abortion in cases of rape/incest without further traumatising victims. According to this evidence, any legislation that included a specific clause for rape would mean that victims would need to firstly disclose their assault and secondly to prove on some level their pregnancy was as a result of sexual violence. As someone who has worked with victims of sexual violence I can tell you this is not workable, and the experts agree. Victims of rape are severely traumatised in the days, weeks and months following their assault. Two-thirds of victims never report, and when they do it is most frequently to a friend or family member. Asking a victim to sit across from a professional and disclose their story in order to obtain an abortion is not compassionate and it is not in the best interests of victims. It forces them to relive their horrific experiences and creates unnecessary distress and suffering at a time when they are most vulnerable. If we truly want to show compassion and kindness to rape victims in their hour of need then we need to allow them to make that choice in private without forcing them to relive their nightmare. The only way this can be achieved is by repealing the Eighth and allowing for abortion unrestricted up to 12 weeks. Failure to do this will see rape victims continuing to be abandoned when they need us the most. – Yours, etc,
NIAMH CASEY,
Rathcormac,
Co Cork.