Don’t forget about a father’s wishes in the abortion debate

An angry Louise O’Neill wrote in the Irish Examiner (Weekend, March 5): ‘Others still knew it was just the wrong man or the wrong time; they wanted to do what was best for them....... And we ignored them. We pretended that they didn’t exist’.

The ‘we’ who are accused of ignoring them are only too aware of their mission abroad, and of the consequences for those who are ignored by the women who travel; primarily their unborn children, but perhaps also the fathers and grandparents who may be opposed to the abortions taking place.

Just prior to the election, I spoke to a woman who was advocating the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. While she stated that most abortions take place at an early stage, I asked if she had any problems with abortions at 30 weeks or beyond. ‘It wouldn’t be ideal’ came the reply, but there was no objection in principle.