The right to die - Politicians can’t dodge this issue

Ten days ago, Praveen Halappanavar, speaking after the inquest into his wife Savita’s unnecessary death, used the words “horrendous, barbaric, and inhumane”.

It should give every one of us pause for deep and honest reflection that those very words are, tragically, appropriate once again in describing how another vulnerable and dependent woman has been treated in this Republic.

It should make us all think deeply about the kind of society we live in — or want to live in — and the cruel consequences of the principles advanced by a particular culture and supported through our Constitution.