Abortion debate - Honest, fair presentation

THERE are few issues as divisive in modern Ireland as abortion.

So much so that it has become almost unmentionable, especially in political circles.

It is the great, slumbering fault line dividing this society. Many Irish people wish they could continue to ignore it, accepting our pragmatic if hypocritical status quo. It is a litmus-test issue we don’t want to have to talk about because no matter what position is taken, no matter what conclusion is reached, deeply held convictions will be challenged. Individuals on either side of the debate will be outraged, hurt and angry.

As an early election becomes an ever stronger possibility, both sides of the debate will try to have their positions reflected in various party election programmes. Opponents of abortion will try to get political parties to incorporate referendum results that favoured an outright ban in their election programmes and in legislation if elected to government.

Those who support abortion will point to the challenge taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg last December, when three Irish women claimed that our situation violates their human rights. They, and many others, want to see our abortion laws move more in line with other EU countries.

We might wish, especially as we are at an absolutely critical moment in our economic history, that we could put the issue of abortion to one side but we cannot and today the Irish Examiner makes a contribution to the debate. We act as a conduit for all views, but do not advocate or endorse any.

We can only present the arguments and tell the stories of some of those with direct experience of abortion in an effort to inform the debate in a rational, fair and honest way.