Three reasons not to amend abortion law

During the three days of hearings of the Oireachtas Health Committee, amid claim and counter-claim, there were just three points on which the witnesses agreed.

These were, firstly, that no maternal deaths have occurred as a result of any deficiencies in the existing law; secondly, that no doctors have been prosecuted under the 1861 Act, which outlaws the procurement of an abortion; and, thirdly, that there is no body of international medical or psychiatric evidence that suggests abortion is a cause, treatment or cure for suicidal ideation.

Not a single witness disagreed with these three conclusions, be they pro-choice, pro-life, or otherwise.