Madam, – Thirty years ago, contraception and divorce were not legally available, and homosexuality was criminalised in Ireland. We have since matured as a nation and grown to accept these realities. Unfortunately, on the issue of abortion, we have failed to reach beyond adolescence. Ireland has shown a complete lack of tolerance when it comes to abortion, and has turned its back on the 4,500 – 6,000 women who make their way to England every year to terminate their pregnancies. Abortion is a reality of every society, and we have failed to come to terms with this.
Of course, it is vitally important to try to prevent as many as possible unwanted pregnancies from taking place, through affordable contraception and proper sex education (ignoring the issue of rape and health-related terminations), but the reality remains that abortion is a part of every society, whether it is legal or not. Cardinal Brady talks about our sovereignty, but how can we be a sovereign nation when we rely on our neighbours to step in and show the compassion and care which is wanting in Ireland?
Perhaps it’s time for the passive majority to stand up to the religious fundamentalists who love to debate in a vacuum, and ignore the very real suffering and deprivation felt by what we love to refer to as “the fairer sex”.
Our treatment is not “fair”; as we turn away from the suffering of our wives, our daughters, our sisters and nieces, in their hour of need. We’re not great at compassion, but we’re brilliant at being righteous – as long as it doesn’t affect us. When it does, she’ll take the boat to England, and she can make her own way home. And yes, the Supreme Court secures her the right to travel (so we don’t have to pick up the pieces and face our own reality). Hypocrisy? – Yours, etc,