On the campaign trail: Independent Mildred Fox is mounting one of the biggest campaigns for a Yes vote by any TD. Eithne Donnellan reports.
A number of leaflets sent by Independent TD Ms Mildred Fox to her constituents setting out her reasons for voting Yes in the abortion referendum have been returned to her office.
She has also been at the receiving end of abusive phone calls over her stance but neither this nor the threat of cross dogs deterred her from going door to door to canvass her views in her Wicklow/East Carlow constituency.
The reception she received on the doorsteps in Hacketstown, Co Carlow, this week was predictable: some saying they were definite Yes voters, others definite Nos. Many also confessed they were confused.
A man in Marian Terrace told Mildred he was concerned about the removal of suicide as a ground for abortion. He knew a pregnant and suicidal woman who had a back-street abortion in England 20 years ago. She was single and "under pressure" after her boyfriend left her "high and dry". The abortion he felt saved her, but few ever knew she had it.
"Other than that I don't agree with abortion at all, except when the woman's life is in danger," he said. "So obviously if you feel that way you'd be a No vote," Mildred told him, adding "sure we won't fall out over it anyway". He agreed.
She said she felt strongly about getting out to canvass, given she had been associated with "pushing" for the referendum. She also mailed about 20,000 leaflets to constituents "off her own bat".
"I've had a lot of calls from genuinely confused people who are saying are we supposed to vote Yes, are we supposed to vote No? I think everyone's entitled to know how I'm voting whether they vote Yes or No. I've been associated with pushing for this referendum and I feel that I have to justify why I'm pushing for it," she said.
"I don't want to push my views down anybody else's throat. I know that people hold views which are deeply held and they are just as committed to their views as I am to mine."
The referendum, she said, was giving people the opportunity to decide if they wanted abortion "and I honestly believe that it's the last opportunity that they will have to decide on this issue".
She rejected the assertion that the referendum might not have been called were it not for the four Independents in the Dáil on whose support the Government depends.
"Bertie Ahern promised this referendum prior to the '97 general election . . . to suggest that this referendum is being held on the sort of whim of four Independents is complete rubbish. But we are delighted its happening."