Abortion Bill should be opposed

Dear Editor,

I refer to Liam O'Grady's letter in the Galway Independent (Wednesday 7 March) concerning proposed abortion legislation by the United Left Alliance.

The X-case type legislation proposed by Mr O’ Grady’s group would necessarily involve allowing abortions in Irish hospitals on the grounds of threatened suicide. This type of legislation would effectively result in abortion on demand since the threat of suicide is not something that can be readily ascertained. The Bill should be opposed for the anti-life legislation that it is.

Mr O’Grady mentions the ‘dire consequences’ for women. What of the ‘dire consequences’ of the many women who suffer after abortion? Women from every walk of life have shared their stories of abortion regret and grief via the Women Hurt organisation. And what about the ‘dire consequences’ for the unborn children whose lives do not appear to be of value to those pushing this legislation?

The case of A, B & C –v- Ireland is also raised. The European Court of Human Rights in the case involving the woman known as 'C' respected the right of the Irish people to decide legal policy on protecting the lives of unborn children. Following the European Court ruling, the Irish people are still free to reverse the X case judgement if given the opportunity. And are we to forget about the other 'Miss C’, who as a teenager in 1997 was brought by the HSE to Britain to have an abortion and has since publicly revealed that the abortion has caused her untold suffering? Are we to ignore her story?

The reason successive Irish governments have not introduced abortion legislation in line with the X case ruling is because there are fatal flaws in the court’s decision, which effectively allows abortion on demand. The X Case heard no medical evidence and set no time limits for when an abortion could take place. Additionally, legislation based on the X case ruling would fly in the face of the mounting evidence since 1992, which shows serious negative effects for a significant number of women following abortion. 

Women deserve better than abortion and so do their babies. Ireland, without abortion, has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world. The challenge for us going forward is to create a welcoming, supportive environment for every mother and baby and to keep improving our world-leading record in safety for mothers and their unborn children, rather than going down the backward route of legalised abortion.

Yours sincerely,

Eilís Grealy,

PRO,

Galway For Life,

Ozanam House,

St. Augustine Street,

Galway