Killing of Guerin still tops news and comment

Just as people `remember' where they were when President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, the killing of Veronica Guerin seems likely to be etched equally indelibly in the public memory.

Her killing dominates the provincial papers this week, with editorials and much comment besides. Indeed, most papers had their own book of condolence for readers to sign.

As the leader in the Tuam Herald puts it. "A week after the event, there is still only one proper subject for a leading article the murder of Veronica Guerin last Wednesday."

Ia the Roscommon Herald and Roscommon Champion, Mr Eugene Murphy, a Fianna Fail councillor, recalled Ms Guerin in the late 1980s as "fiercely determined ... always prepared to listen" and with a strong republican viewpoint but "always opposed to republican violence".

In Wexford they knew Ms Guerin better than most. In the Wexford People, Ger Walsh recalls. "It was Veronica who first broke the story that a priest in the diocese was at the centre of an investigation into child sex abuse and from then on she wrote many articles which gave people a unique insiup also considers introducing an absolute ban on abortion into the Constitution. However, it says this could cause problems for appropriate medical procedures needed to protect the life of the mother but causing the termination of the pregnancy. It refers to an assurance from the Pro Life Campaign that such a situation would never arise, but adds: "It would not be safe to rely on such understandings."

Instead, it says it is necessary to have "specific legislative protection for appropriate medical intervention". Pointing out that the judgment in the X case did not set any time limit for the termination of a pregnancy where the life of the mother was deemed to be in danger, it proposes that a time limit be set by legislation.