Sir, – In the many public talks I have given on the subject of abortion, I have repeatedly returned to a central issue: the almost complete absence of a public acknowledgment of the voices of Irish women who have experienced abortion. Congratulations to Kathy Sheridan and The Irish Times for creating the space for women (and men) to tell their compelling stories (Weekend Review, March 24th).
These varied and complex accounts of the Irish abortion experience underline the importance of respecting any individual woman’s right to choose, and control, the outcome of a pregnancy. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Your feature “Stories of Abortion” (Weekend Review, March 24th) was thought-provoking indeed.
It is timely too, in the light of the Government’s expert group on abortion that is now considering the matter.
I feel for the men and women who contributed to this article. They have shown great courage; and the emotional and physical pain that they have gone through is clearly evident.
Our greatest tribute to them would be an honest and open discussion on abortion. This is no time to rush into passing legislation as some have suggested. It is now clearer than ever that abortion is a complex and multi-layered issue, inflicting severe consequences on the people involved regardless of where the procedure takes place. Following the recent investigation by the Daily Telegraph in the UK, we also know that the abortion industry is one where abuse occurs all too easily. In the light of this knowledge, we should be slow to introduce abortion to Irish society.
We should also remember that we are dealing with humanity at its most vulnerable stages; the pregnant woman who is unsure of her future; the father who may be feeling side-lined, and the unborn child whose voice will never feature in an article on these pages.
Every member of society has a responsibility to contribute to the debate in a way that will safeguard the interests of all three. – Yours, etc,