Abortion is emotive, but the law cannot be

The fatal-foetal abnormality argument for abortion is disingenuous — stories of heartache so-called fatal-foetal abnormality (it is not a medical term) should not manipulate us into repealing the Eighth Amendment, argues Margaret Hickey

FATAL foetal abnormality is a term that has been bandied about as the clincher to force politicians to deal with abortion, which means, of course, repealing the 8th Amendment so that enabling legislation can be passed.

But an abstract argument does not capture the public imagination, so real-life stories are now being embedded in the arguments for expanding abortion legislation in Ireland.