Not thought through

I am greatly puzzled by Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s plan, as I understand it, to introduce legislation to deal with situations where a citizen threatens to commit suicide unless allowed to pursue otherwise unlawful acts.

Can legislation to deal with the threat of suicide by pregnant women really be confined to the specifics of pregnant women? The principle of allowing what would otherwise be unlawful, because of a threat of suicide, must surely be applied equally to all citizens? I suggest that the legal profession might be quick to argue this, and the consequences, when universally applied, could be chaotic. It seems to me that the Taoiseach may not have thought this one out.

Caitríona McClean