Abortion debate

Sir, - Perhaps I missed the logic in Medbh Ruane's argument concerning late abortions (The Irish Times, July 21st) or could it…

Sir, - Perhaps I missed the logic in Medbh Ruane's argument concerning late abortions (The Irish Times, July 21st) or could it be there was no logic to miss?

Maybe Ms Ruane could enlighten me on the following point which was the kernel of her argument. What makes it right to abort a 10-week-old foetus in Ireland and wrong to abort that same foetus at 20+ weeks in England? What qualitative difference has she found between a 10-week-old foetus and a 24-week-old foetus? Is one less human than the other?

She also asserts that if Ireland had its own abortion facilities, women who travel for late abortions could have them done earlier and more humanely at home. This begs another question. For whom is an abortion humane, the mother or the child? - Yours, etc.,

Julia Heffernan (PRO), Life Ireland, Patrick Street, Cork.