Sir, – I am voting Yes in the upcoming referendum because I believe, as a nation of caring, compassionate people, we can and must do better for our pregnant citizens.
As Dr Peter Boylan stated, “That a woman should not die in pregnancy is the absolute lowest bar to aim for in a modern country”.
We cannot continue to send vulnerable pregnant people abroad (often alone) so that we can continue to bury our heads in the sand. In the tragic cases of fatal foetal abnormality, when the merciful decision is made, women are being forced to go through such a traumatic ordeal without their family and their own doctor to offer comfort and support.
I appeal to the citizens of this country to repeal the Eighth Amendment.
It is the only humane thing to do. – Yours, etc,
SARAH SLATTERY,
Crosshaven,
Co Cork.
Sir, – My colleague, Ivana Bacik, says that, under the Government's proposed legislation, abortion "would not be lawful on the grounds of disability" (April 28th).
The conclusion that might seem to follow is that disabled babies will not be aborted. In fact, these proposals authorise the abortion of some disabled babies at all stages of pregnancy. Babies of up to 12 weeks will have their lives terminated for any reason, including disability of any kind. Other disabled babies will be at risk of abortion in some cases to the point of viability (Head 4) or up to birth (Heads 5 and 6).
I am, frankly, mystified at the claim that “late-term abortion would not be permitted”. The proposals provide for “a medical procedure which is intended to end the life of the foetus”, specifically up to birth in cases falling under Heads 5 and 6. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM BINCHY,
Adjunct Professor
of Law,
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2.
Sir, – Two learned professors of law, William Binchy (April 26th) and Ivana Bacik (April 28th), disagree in your pages on whether the legislation proposed by the Government (if the Eighth Amendment is repealed) will permit abortion on the grounds of disability.
Permit me please to outline the scientific background, which is highly relevant to clarifying this.
New methods for analysis of foetal DNA in maternal blood are becoming more and more sensitive, and therefore allowing detection of genetic disease earlier and earlier; already, for example, Down syndrome can be detected with around 97 per cent accuracy at nine to 10 weeks into the pregnancy and this time is likely to drop further. Furthermore, gender can be estimated with a similar accuracy as early as seven weeks gestation. Given that the Government proposes to permit abortion for any reason up to 12 weeks, it follows that abortion on the basis of gender or DNA-determined disability will in fact be legal up to 12 weeks. Not all disabilities are genetically determined, but many are.
Depending on whether you consider gender- or disability- selective abortion to be ethically acceptable or not, the facts stated above may be one of the factors in your decision on how to vote – but whichever way you vote, you now cannot say that you did not know! – Yours, etc,
MARTIN CLYNES,
Professor Emeritus
of Biotechnology,
National Institute
for Cellular Biotechnology,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – It has been recently reported that the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), headquartered in London, has come out in support of repealing the Eighth Amendment. This is hardly news. The leadership of the RCOG is radically pro-abortion, and has been for a long time. In recent years it has come out against a ban on the shocking practice of sex-selective abortions, has opposed attempts to outlaw abortion on grounds of disability, and has supported the total decriminalisation of abortion. Speaking in support of this latter proposal, Prof Lesley Regan, the president of the college, compared abortion to “getting your bunions sorted”.
The RCOG may be a prestigious organisation, but its attitudes to the unborn child are appalling, and far removed from the views of many Irish people, who have no difficulty seeing the unborn child, male or female, able-bodied or disabled, as one of us, and deserving of protection. – Yours, etc,
STEPHANIE MONAGHAN,
Lifford,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I am writing to comment on recent claims that the legislation proposed to follow the repeal of the Eighth Amendment allows “for abortions of healthy babies up to six months”. This is simply not true. The legislation only allows for abortion up to viability when two medical practitioners have certified that “there is a risk to the life of, or of serious harm to the health of, the pregnant woman”.
After viability, pregnancies will simply be induced early if necessary to save the mother’s life or prevent serious harm to her health. The number of terminations that will be carried out to save the health of the mother will be minimal, and only in necessary cases.
As someone who is chronically ill, a vote for repeal and this legislation could save my life, and certainly could save my health if something went wrong in my future pregnancies. I hope Ireland will vote for care and compassion for all women in Ireland who like me have a serious illness that complicates pregnancy. – Yours, etc,
MUIREANN O’SULLIVAN,
Galway.
Sir, – In response to Luke Silke's letter (April 28th), it should be noted that the Repeal Shield account does not exist to stifle debate. In its own words, it exists to "block blatant, harmful anti-choice misinformation". If you engage in respectful debate, you will not be blocked. Perhaps those who find themselves on the Repeal Shield list should re-evaluate how they conduct themselves online and they might find that people are more willing to engage. – Yours, etc,
AOIBHEANA HOBSON,
Harold’s Cross,
Dublin 6W.