Ruling raises issues that can’t be deferred

Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling in favour of the State in the appeal against a landmark decision that a genetic mother of twins born to a surrogate can be registered as their legal mother on their birth certificates will add to myriad complexities over reproductive services facing our besieged Government. 

The ruling lengthens the list of issues rationally enough regarded as toxic by many politicians. This reluctance is understandable but unfortunately unacceptable.

The Government has already said that the abortion issue, probably the most divisive one in society, will not be revisited by this Dáil hinting that, if re-elected, it might look at the issue again in the next parliament. This long-fingering has done considerable damage to the credibility of our political institutions and underlined the absence of strong-willed, courageous leadership in nearly all political parties.