Women have waited long enough for politicians to do their jobs

THERE is broad agreement that the Dáil must provide a legislative framework for a woman’s right to an abortion when her life depends on it, yet division persists about the inclusion of suicide as a risk to life.

People on the anti-choice side of thedebate, citing the UK’s 1967 Abortion Act, say that inclusion of suicide in any legislation would open the floodgates to abortion-on-demand in this country.

This claim is specious. Legislation here would have to comply with the constitutional position that an abortion can only be countenanced when there is “real and substantial risk” to the life of the woman.