Olive Braiden has a daunting but vital task ahead of her in her new role as chairwoman of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. Across the ideological divide, there is consensus that it would be better to reduce the numbers seeking abortions. The only people who publicly oppose this are those who feel that trying to lower the abortion figures interferes with a woman's right to choose. This latter group, and they are very small, refuse to believe that abortion is ever anything other than a rational free choice. They ignore the research produced in the Trinity crisis pregnancy study that women have abortions for complex reasons, including fear of stigma and poverty, and of letting down their parents.
Olive Braiden is anxious to emphasise that the agency recognises the work already being done on the ground, and that it will be working with both voluntary organisations and agencies of the State.
I believe that she does face a difficulty in that, rightly or wrongly, she is more identified with the pro-choice position. She says her own position is that she would not favour a total abortion regime. However, in specific circumstances such as rape and incest she does believe in a right to abortion, and that in other circumstances trying to coerce women away from abortion is both wrong and futile.
She caused a minor furore last week in pro-life circles when she was reported in the Irish Examiner as saying the new agency will not aim to dissuade women with a crisis pregnancy from having an abortion. Clarifying this with her during the week, it was clear she was referring to putting pressure on any individual woman to make a choice in one direction or another, either to have or not to have an abortion. She does believe it is important to find out exactly what supports women in crisis need, to make them easily accessible, and in that way make it possible for women to make a choice other than abortion.
She recognises that for some women who are determined to go ahead, such supports will not affect their decision, but for women who are undecided, it could tip the balance away from abortion.
From her work with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre she often came into contact with women who had become pregnant as a result of rape or abuse. Before working there, she assumed such women would automatically opt for an abortion. When she realised that this was not the case, that some chose to continue the pregnancy, she saw that what seemed to be the obvious or necessary solution may not necessarily have been the case at all.
If she can hold on to this openness, and reassure people from all shades of opinion on this issue that she wants to hear their insights, she will achieve a great deal. In 1998, I had the privilege of organising the "5,000 Too Many" conference. It was the first time people identifiably pro-choice or pro-life came together to see what could be done to reduce the numbers seeking abortion.
There were moments of tension during the day, but it was a creative tension. It proved that people can work together to achieve a common objective, even when they disagree on what used to be known, in that wonderful Irish propensity for euphemisms, as the "substantive issue".
Olive Braiden has said that more and better sex education, and access to contraceptive services will be a major part of the solution. As someone who has taught sex education for 11 years, I agree with the need for more sex education, including basic information, but I also believe that parents are the major influence.
A 1999 study of more than 400 adolescents showed that where parents, especially mothers, were the major source of sexual information, young people were much less likely to engage in risky behaviours. What can be achieved in the classroom is limited, but that is not a reason not to try. Of course we need better sex education, but we also need an unambivalent message that it is better to delay sexual activity, at the very least until the legal age of consent but preferably way beyond that.
We have no problem about giving young people unambivalent messages about smoking or healthy eating - why do we shy away from the negative consequences of early sexual activity, not only unplanned pregnancy, but a virtual epidemic of sexually transmitted disease?
Similarly, I would be cautious about seeing contraception as a panacea. Several important studies point to contraceptive failure as a major reason for seeking abortion.
There is even an Irish study which shows that almost half of one group presenting for abortion did so because of contraceptive failure. Again, solutions are not so simple as it might appear.
It is clear that Braiden has no desire to re-invent the wheel and that with her background she has a high regard for non-governmental organisations.
In relation to counselling, she is lucky in that models of best practice are already available. Cura, by far the largest non-directive crisis pregnancy counselling agency in the State, has almost 400 volunteers and 17 centres nationwide. They received an extremely positive report by independent assessors from the psychology department of Trinity College. They said Cura "has an excellent initial volunteer training programme which could be used as a model of similar services", and that Cura "provides an invaluable service to the community".
If both the board and consultative committee can be seen to be balanced, and to use insights from diverse sources, it may succeed in building a new agency which is both practical and compassionate.
Meanwhile, it would be helpful if our elected representatives could try to maintain the dignified and courteous atmosphere of the All-Party Oireachtas committee hearings on abortion. Some of the Dβil debate before the recess on the topic of abortion went far beyond the usual theatrics.
Sadly, some of the more unhelpful comments came from women deputies such as Nora Owen and Olivia Mitchell. Accusing those who disagree with you of misogyny hardly advances the debate.
How can we hope for a civilised debate if our elected representatives cannot even be civil to each other?
bobrien@irish-times.ie