Sir, – Thanks to Ann Marie Hourihane (Opinion, June 18th) for alerting us to the Youth Defence/Life Institute campaign – now evident on the Luas – declaring that there is always (their emphasis) a better answer than abortion.
What a timely way to mark the 20th anniversary of the case that brought home the shocking reality of what an unwanted pregnancy could mean in human terms. In February 1992 Miss X, a 14-year-old rape victim, was forbidden to travel to England for an abortion by a High Court order. In March 1992, after thousands of citizens marched through the streets in angry protest, the Supreme Court overturned the order. In November 1992 the voters in a referendum decided pregnant women could travel out of the country, and information about abortion in foreign countries could be given to Irish citizens.
This, we are told, is a political campaign. May the politicians remember Miss X. – Yours, etc,