Sir, - As your editorial of March 1st pointed out, "the abortion issue will not melt away." It has not done so in any other country, and why should we be any different in Ireland?
However, the focus of debate following recent allegations has tended to be of a legal, political or constitutional nature. In addressing "the reality of women's lives", we must not forget that it is a mother and her unborn child who are most affected by abortion. Some 98 per cent of abortions are performed on healthy women and healthy babies. Many take place because of the social pressures the mother may be under, or for the convenience of those around her.
These pressures can seem very strong at the time, but many women are unaware of the consequent dangers to their mental and physical health. There is now a very substantial body of evidence concerning post abortion trauma - the severe and long lasting psychological disturbance which affects the health of many women who have lost a baby in this way.
I don't believe that anybody concerned about women and children could "congratulate ourselves that we have banished the dirty business of abortion from Irish shores." Life Ireland regrets that even one woman feels compelled to seek abortion as a solution to her crisis.
Abortion is always a failure in human relations, a rejection, a refusal to accept a challenge and thereby to deepen a relationship. Legalised abortion in any country is a grave injustice, a disservice to women and a lack of a caring response. The fact of the matter is that England imports an abortion industry and has one of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe.
The time has come for a reassessment of views and attitudes and of the costs to society in terms of health; whether abortion is ever a solution, or is even the lesser of two evils.
Life will continue to offer pregnancy testing, pregnancy counselling, help and advice with accommodation and social welfare entitlements and counselling after abortion. Many commentators have persistently overlooked the development of the caring service provided by Life for any woman facing a problem pregnancy. We offer a positive alternative to abortion, legal and illegal. If society wants to prove its concern for women, it would see the importance of our service and give it enthusiastic support.
The service, offered in seven centres in Ireland, is free and confidential and our helpline number is 1850281 281.-Yours, etc.,
National PRO,
Life Ireland
29/30 Dame Street,
Dublin 2.