A stronger society - Recognise and tolerate difference

On Saturday, 35,000 people marched through Dublin City centre as part of an anti-abortion protest.

The organisers dispute this official, Garda-audited figure and suggest a total closer to 60,000 would be more accurate. It seems that this debate remains so very animated, so very embittered, that even a head count is an occasion for profound disagreement.

Later this week, on Wednesday, Ireland’s decades-long abortion civil war will reach another milestone when the Dáil votes on a bill made inevitable by a court ruling 21 years ago. Unless changes are made to the proposed legislation, Fine Gael will lose a number of deputies, including minister Lucinda Creighton.