Kicking to touch

THE ink is hardly dry on the UN report that criticised our laws regarding abortion, and Taoiseach Enda Kenny is already kicking it to touch, hoping to sideline the issue for as long as is possible.

Yesterday, he suggested that “there is a need to gauge the consensus for change among Irish people in relation to the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution on abortion” and that a “citizens’ assembly” would first consider the matter. This might sound great in a school civics class, but the reality is that the Dáil is the appropriate — and the only — “citizens’ assembly” mandated to consider and to try to resolve this difficult matter. That is what it was elected for. And the best way to gauge opinion is to make a proposal and have a referendum on it. Outsourcing the issue, like we do with abortion, is neither honest nor honourable and further discredits our political process. Unfortunately, Mr Kenny has already capitulated on water charges and the signs are that he will dodge this issue for as long as he can. These evasions hardly show leadership, much less courage.