Sir, - A report by Miriam Donohoe implies that a "key submission" from the Irish Council of Trades Unions to the All-Party Committee on Abortion has the support of 682,000 workers (The Irish Times, April 21st). The ICTU has not balloted its affiliated unions on the issue of abortion. It is shameful that the General Secretary of the INTO, Senator Joe O'Toole, who is ICTU vice-president, should remain silent in the face of this continuing misinformation.
I call on him to clarify the matter and state why ICTU did not ballot the affiliated membership of ICTU to ascertain whether or not the majority of the membership supports or opposes facilitating the direct killing of unborn children. - Yours, etc.,
Dr Ciaran O Coigligh, St Patrick's College Drumcondra Branch, Irish Federation of University Teachers, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.