Creighton’s ‘care plan’ is abortion alternative

Junior Minister Lucinda Creighton is a young, learned politician, who stands for what is right.

Her action is for the noblest cause — saving defenceless human life.

A heartless, inhumane Taoiseach would ignore her suggested amendments to the new ‘Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill’ — which includes the X-Case. To eliminate the threat of suicide as grounds for an abortion, she says provide a “multi-disciplinary care plan” and therapy for suicidal women seeking an abortion. This, along with her other safeguards, is realistic.

If a similar advisory service, nationally, was in place for women intending to travel for abortions, the numbers could be reduced considerably.

The death of Savita Halappanavar, in Galway, is no longer an issue, as it is taken care of in the Constitution. Neither should the new bill be dubbed ‘The Abortion Bill’.

If legislating on the X-Case was good for Ireland, why did Lord David Steel, the man responsible for the 1967 law that set off abortion in Britain, say recently it would be a “mistake” for Ireland to introduce abortion on the grounds of suicide; adding he “never envisaged that there would be so many abortions in Britain resulting from the law he introduced”.

In 2011 alone, a staggering 97% of the 189,931 abortions in England and Wales were performed on mental health grounds.

Lucinda Creighton is aware; these are grim facts for a Taoiseach, of any denomination, to swallow.

James Gleeson

Turtulla

Thurles

Co Tipperary