Sir, - We are members of Women on Waves Ireland, the group that organised the visit of the Aurora to Dublin and Cork. We are delighted that the reaction of the press and public to the ship's visit has been so positive, and that the visit has helped to re-open public debate on the need to legalise abortion. Most importantly, the visit has highlighted the real experiences of women facing crisis pregnancy in Ireland.
Over 300 women have contacted Women on Waves Ireland over the past week. Many already knew they had to terminate their pregnancies, but were worried about the arrangements and the costs. Some were utterly desperate; many were alone, with little or no emotional or financial support. We have been able to offer some support to them, but the sheer number of calls demonstrates the urgent need for abortion services to be provided in Ireland.
A recent opinion poll indicates that 79 per cent of people favour the legalisation of abortion in certain circumstances; only 17 per cent favour another referendum restricting the X case. Such a referendum would be futile, completely irrelevant to the 6,000 or more women who travel and would continue to travel to Britain every year for terminations.
It is clear from the welcome the Aurora has received, from changing public opinion, and from the desperate phone-calls over the past week, that women need safe legal abortion provision in Ireland. When will the Government wake up to this fact? - Yours, etc.,
Ivana Bacik, Sinead Kennedy, Mary Muldowney, Cathleen O'Neill, Brendan Young, Women on Waves Ireland, Dublin 1.