Irish women need safe and legal abortions

WHEN the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the X case on March 5, 1992, Mr Justice Niall McCarthy delivered a scathing critique of the legislative branch of Government.

Referring to the 1983 constitutional amendment on abortion, he said: “The failure by the legislature to enact the appropriate legislation is no longer unfortunate, it is inexcusable. What are pregnant women to do? What are the parents of a pregnant under-age girl to do? What is the medical profession to do?”

Fifteen years later, there is still no legislation, but there are, as usual, thousands of Irish women travelling to Britain every year to have safe, legal abortions.

Desperate remedies for unwanted pregnancies in the absence of safe abortion includes: hot baths, gin, knitting needles, pennyroyal, castor oil, quinine, skipping, jumping from a height, household detergents and ergot of rye, almost all useless and some dangerous.

Surely it is now time for abortion to be made safe and legal in Ireland. The 2006 poll from the Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships indicated that 64% of the Irish public support abortion in certain circumstances.

Let us remember that 15 women every day travel to Britain for abortions. They are our mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, daughters and friends. To continue to ignore their concerns is inexcusable.

Richard Keane

44 Harty Place

Dublin 8