Sir, – Fintan O'Toole, writing about the eighth amendment to the Constitution ("Why Ireland never faced up to the issue of abortion", Opinion & Analysis, August 26th), claims that a number of named organisations were "the bodies that made Ireland unique in the democratic world in having a ban on abortion in its constitution".
The constitutional amendment was made following a free choice by the people, not by the organisations named in Mr O’Toole’s article. Furthermore, the amendment was not a ban on abortion, it was a declaration that unborn children and their mothers have equal rights to their respective lives. Insofar as there was a ban on abortion, it had existed from 1861, 120 years before the pro-life amendment campaign was founded.
Mr O’Toole also refers to “the ideology that gave us the eighth amendment”, describing it as “utterly dismissive of any qualifications to its absolutist views”. In fact, the amendment provides for recognition of equal right to life for both children and women – hardly reflective of an absolutist dismissal of qualifications. – Yours, etc,
CHARLIE TALBOT,
Moanbane Park,
Kilcullen,
Co Kildare.
Sir, –Fintan O’Toole’s opinion piece is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the actual debate at hand, and the sentiments expressed in the quotes he has peppered his article with imply a spurious link between today’s pro-life movement and what are quite frankly the somewhat extreme views of some. It is a cheap trick by Mr O’Toole. Extreme views, whether well intentioned or otherwise, can be found on either side of virtually any topic we collectively choose to discuss and debate.
I cannot speak for those referenced in Mr O’Toole’s article but my own view is that the general argument raised by Mr O’Toole and others continually fails to grasp the fact that this debate is best centred in the language of human rights, not necessarily in the language of faith or religion. Those who oppose abortion, whether for reasons of faith or otherwise, do so on the basis that to oppose abortion is to stand up on behalf of those in what can be the most frightening and vulnerable stages of human life, an expectant mother and the baby she is carrying in situations involving a harrowing rape, a devastating medical diagnosis or psychological illness, to give example of some of the many and varied situations that may arise.
Abortion is too easy a solution for the myriad situations that these women face. We owe these women more than what Mr O’Toole and others advocate – a quick-fix solution to ease a nation’s collective guilty conscience. Instead we should be focusing on giving these women and their babies the attentive care and post-partum support they require rather than making them believe that a quick abortion, putting on a good face and a lifetime of silence is the only option. – Yours, etc,
NIALL DOYLE,
Putland Road,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – In his highly selective history of the foundation of the Pro-Life Amendment Campaign, Fintan O’Toole says that the organisations which comprised this group “are the bodies that made Ireland unique in the democratic world in having a ban on abortion in its constitution.” He gives these groups far too much credit.
The 1983 amendment was not foisted on us by some ultra-religious fifth column, as he suggests. In fact, it was proposed by the democratically elected government of the day and put to a referendum by a majority decision of both houses of the democratically elected Oireachtas. It was then approved by the people, with 841,233 voting in favour, 67 per cent of those who voted.
This is how our democracy works, a fact which Mr O’Toole has overlooked. Does the fact that he doesn’t agree with the decision detract in any way from its legitimacy? – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Brooklawn,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Unable or unwilling to engage with the core issue on abortion, Fintan O’Toole resorts in his latest column to the weakest possible of arguments: denigrating some of the leaders of the Pro-Life Amendment Campaign all of 30 years ago – focusing not as one might expect on their views on the issue itself but on their views on contraception and homosexuality.
His aim appears to be to attempt to discredit the pro-life position by association with selected reactionary comments on unrelated matters.
He describes the pro-life position as “absolutist” but this is an apt description of his own position because he is undeniably absolutist in his exclusion of the perspective of the unborn child. He also omits to mention in his highly selective narrative that it was the people of Ireland who put the clause protecting the unborn into the Constitution, not a handful of individuals. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DALY,
Bayside Boulevard North,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Having read Fintan O’Toole’s insightful piece on the people and organisations behind the eighth amendment, I cannot help but be struck by how many of the agendas of these groups have failed, and how we as a country have chosen a different path.
I am proud to live in a country where access to contraception is a norm. Where equal rights for gay people are enshrined in our laws and homosexuality is beginning to be fully acknowledged and celebrated. Where all children have a right to be cherished, loved and have access to the same services and facilities regardless of their “legitimacy”. And where I can send my daughter to a school where I hope she will learn to be interested in and accepting of people of all religions and none. I am hopeful too that this country will soon allow women to access their rights over their own bodies, and remove the eight amendment from our Constitution.
I wonder how disappointed the surviving members of that conservative group must feel now. – Yours, etc,
MARIE O’HARE,
Cromwell’s Lane,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.