Sir, - I read Breda O'Brien's column "Women here on other wavelength over abortion" (Opinion, June 23rd) with interest. I don't often agree with her, and this I disagreed. But that is what opinion columnists are there for - to stir opinion.
I welcomed the visit of the Women on Waves ship to Dublin and Cork. Thankfully we have moved on from the day when women searched for scribbled graffiti messages about telephone numbers for abortion information, or when copies of the Guardian were pulped. Hurrah for rational public debate.
Opinion on abortion differs between colleagues and even siblings in my case, but abortion is accepted by many in my circle of friends and family for specific cases. This ranges from cases of rape and incest to what we call abortion on demand.
I agree with Breda O'Brien that the recent All-Party Oireachtas Committee hearings were a credit to all concerned. There was, however, an important section of opinion omitted - the thousands of Irish women who have obtained abortions over the years.
Can Ms O'Brien accept that for many Irish women abortion may be the better solution for a woman in a crisis pregnancy? And can the Government finally grasp the nettle of this complex and highly emotive social issue and legislate for it? - Yours, etc.,
Richie Keane, Harty Place, Dublin 8.