Sir, – Noel Whelan says that members of the Oireachtas who are in favour of repealing the Eighth Amendment, but against unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks, "need to tell the electorate" what practical solutions they propose in "the circumstances of women pregnant as a result of rape" ("Legislating for abortion in rape cases is very difficult", Opinion & Analysis, February 2nd).
Simon Coveney is among those legislators Noel Whelan is referring to.
The Tánaiste claims to recognise the difficulty of legislating for abortion in cases of rape but says, “because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we go down a different route that makes it easier for everybody”.
However, in terms of real solutions, the best Mr Coveney can come up with so far is vague talk about possibly establishing a register of GPs with expertise in the matter.
He will have to do better than that, and quickly, if he wants to seriously participate in the debate to come. – Yours, etc,
JOE McCARTHY,
Arbour Hill,
Dublin7.
A chara, – Senator Catherine Noone’s statement that, in the context of abortion, rape is impossible to legislate for (News, February 2nd) is quite baffling.
According to the United Nations publication World Abortion Policies 2013, of those countries where abortion is legal, 51 per cent provide for the grounds of rape or incest – meaning that a total of 48 parliaments have managed this seemingly impossible legislative feat.
In Poland, for example, it requires certification by a prosecutor; in Austria and France it can be approved by a single physician; whereas in Germany the law requires the consent of two doctors, subject to counselling and a three-day waiting period.
A great many people in Ireland feel very uncomfortable at the prospect of abortion on request, without reason, up to the 12th week of pregnancy while having great sympathy for the victims of rape and not wishing to traumatise them any further.
It is entirely possible to deal with the latter without having to introduce the former.
Disingenuously conflating the two matters in an attempt to provide for a more liberal abortion regime is a risky strategy, and one that pro-choice campaigners may come to regret. – Is mise,
DAVID CARROLL,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – I would argue that many young people in Ireland are ill-informed and ill-advised on the areas of relationships, sexuality, sex education and contraception.
Such undoubted ignorance of these vital topics unquestionably leads to unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and the additional social and moral consequence that this ignorance entails.
Most people in Ireland abdicate responsibility for the education of their children on these important aspect of their formative lives to schools.
However, schools by and large have not carried this baton to any progressive extent and skirt around the substantive issues for fear of upsetting their conservative constituents.
The sure consequences of these omissions of education and guidance is manifest when it comes to the understanding of appropriate relationship protocols, unplanned pregnancies and the increased risks of disease, etc.
It is instructive that in the Netherlands and Denmark there is a compulsory curriculum for primary and secondary schools that incorporates the concepts of mutual respect, love, sex and healthy relationship education.
This education also includes the purpose and use of contraception and condoms and begins around the age of 10.
As a result, the Netherlands has the lowest European rates of both teen pregnancies and abortion.
Shining the light of education and empowering the individual as to the consequence of their actions and giving them the means for prevention is indeed better than the pursuit of a painful cure and is a healthy and mature way to address this issue. – Yours, etc,
TOM FINN,
Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
Sir, – In relation to "Galway novena will not provide platform for any position on abortion" (January 31st), I would like to quote Pope Francis: "Abortion is not the lesser of two evils. It is a crime. It is to throw someone out in order to save another. That's what the Mafia does. It is a crime, an absolute evil." Enough said! – Yours, etc,
NICOLA DAVERON,
Galway.
Sir, – Simon Coveney has recently made public remarks surrounding his stance on the Eighth Amendment.
The Tánaiste stated that he “backs repeal but not the granting of access to abortion for up to 12 weeks”, and that a GP should be able to sanction an abortion in cases of rape instead of the unrestricted 12-week period.
I find it unfortunate that his stance implies that he has not paid clear enough attention to the work of the Citizens’ Assembly and the Joint Oireachtas Committee – which have elaborated on numerous evidence-based reasons as to why unrestricted access up to 12 weeks is being proposed. One of the leading reasons was not to have to legislate for exemptions based on rape, incest or other tragic circumstances.
Requiring that a pregnant person who has been the victim of rape to need State authorisation to have an abortion is inhumane.
A person should not have to become pregnant from being sexually violated to be granted their bodily autonomy.
How would a rape be confirmed? This is legislatively unenforceable due to the waiting times for court cases of this nature, and how this would affect the survivors of rape.
As a legislator, these factors should be paramount to him rather than his own personal views. – Yours, etc,
SHARON NOLAN,
Galway.