Ireland needs to maturely face up to its shortcomings on abortion

THE VENUE was laden with symbolism. Amnesty International was launching its report into the affects of Ireland’s draconian abortion laws and it was taking place in the Pillar Room in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, writes Alison O’Connor.

On the other side of the building you knew there were wards full of women, some pregnant, some in the actual act of giving birth, others recovering as they lay admiring their newborn baby.

Coincidentally just as the speeches were about to begin, up popped a tweet from Mara Clarke of the UK-based Abortion Support Network (ASN). She was expressing delight that her tiny charity — which offers information, funding, and accommodation for Irish women forced to travel for an abortion — had been chosen as one of five fundraising causes by the popular British website Mumsnet.