Let’s call it what it is

Sir — I am a regular reader of Eoghan Harris’s column and think he often makes good points and takes an independent stand. However, I found some of his arguments (Sunday Independent, February 4) bizarre regarding the abortion referendum — particularly his argument that 5,000 abortions are for the greater good.

Are they not mostly for the convenience of some women because being pregnant when you don’t want to be is, of course, very tough? A few will be hard cases like fatal foetal abnormalities which are difficult and tragic for couples who want a baby. Other hard cases are where women have been made pregnant against their will, as in rape and incest. Apparently this is about 2pc of cases of Irish abortion recorded in the UK. So largely abortion is being promoted as a matter of convenience in about 4,900 cases per year, using the other 100 cases as cover. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but call it what it is.

Eoghan says: “Abortion means letting a foetus die for the greater good of the woman who conceived it.” Just to be clear, abortion means killing the foetus and not just letting it die. It is a fairly big difference. I am not saying murder, just killing. Interpreting abortion as murder would be open to a philosophical debate but killing isn’t. The “greater good” argument is open to dispute whether for the woman or society.

Eoghan points out Leo’s comments regarding men telling women what to do for too long in this country. But now Leo is more or less doing the same thing. If he wants men to stay out of it then set up an all-female group to run the process. As a man, I’d be happy with that as long as it is representative. Dave O’Neill, Grantstown,

Waterford