The abortion debate

Sir, – As deputies Mathews, Timmins, Walsh and Flanagan vacate their offices in Leinster House, I hope their hearts will be lightened by the fact that they have the heartfelt respect and admiration of a very great number of the citizens they serve.

The whip has its uses, particularly in as small a democracy as ours, where it can shield deputies from constituency-based pressure, as they carry out the normal business of the House.

In the present instance, however, as a result of the courageous stance of a number of deputies, the whip no longer provides cover; it has been broken in principle by people of principle.

It is becoming clear that the whip will offer cold comfort to any TD who is unwilling to take and articulate a principled stand regarding the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill. – Yours, etc,

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Rev CHRIS HAYDEN,

Coolfancy,

Tinahely, Co Wicklow.

Sir, – I know practically nothing about embryology – which appears to be far more than the Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry from UCC does (Letters, July 4th). The suggestion (though vague enough for future denial) is that the zygote divides and divides and divides until eventually it becomes a lovely baby nine months later. This is pseudo-scientific claptrap.

I have one simple question for Prof Reville: at what point in this admittedly incredible process does there exist a completely differentiated cell that he can clearly state will be part of the final human being and not just medical waste? It is certainly long after the zygote stage.

The problem with life is that it is complex. The zygote is only slightly more down the road of development than the sperm and egg – and Prof Reville also seems unaware that it is just as powerless to initiate a biological continuum. It still needs a host (with or without her consent). – Yours, etc,

DAVID McNERNEY,

Killarney Road,

Bray, Co Wicklow.

Sir, – With regard to the evocative opening paragraphs of Miriam Lord’s article “Creighton finally lays her cards on the table without showing them all” (Dáil Sketch, July 2nd), it is unclear whether ”[a] woman with her husband” and “[a] young girl [who] sits with her mam” are imagined by the author or actual persons.

I presume these scenarios are imagined, unless Miriam Lord was in Dublin and Cork airports simultaneously and also privy to both of the conversations referred to, each of which, by chance it seems, happened to refer to the possibility of Fine Gael TDs losing the party whip. If these persons and conversations are imaginary, it appears they are purely intended to evoke the emotions of the reader at the outset of an article which, it seems from the headline, is concerned with commentary on the debates in Leinster House. In my view, this blurring of fiction and fact is unhelpful to the reader. – Yours, etc,

EOIN CARROLL,

Pinecroft,

Douglas, Cork.