Zero balance in referendum debate
Sir — While Willie Kealy (Sunday Independent, September 23) claims John Bruton ‘seems unable to accept the result (of the abortion referendum)’ he himself returns to the lie that the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar was due to the Eighth Amendment, when, in fact, three independent inquests confirmed she died from sepsis and dreadful medical neglect resulting in censure of individuals involved in the neglect she suffered.
Mr Kealy may see Health Minister Simon Harris as offering ‘balance’ by refusing to omit the three-day waiting period as set out in the proposed legislation, but he could have pointed out the irony of Dr Peter Boylan’s request for its omission when he stated before the referendum that it was an important part of the legislation “which will allow women a time to reflect whether or not they want to proceed with the termination and that is to be welcomed”.
Certainly balance is to be welcomed, but it would have been much more acceptable if it had occurred during the campaign, which instead consisted of an almost complete media support for repealing the Eighth Amendment and no proper examination of the many relevant points put forward by the pro-life campaign. It should be pointed out, too, that it was claimed the removal of the amendment would not result in an increase in abortions here but it is now confirmed this is not so.
As regards ‘accepting the result of the referendum’ those who sought to retain protection for unborn babies in our constitution can certainly not refrain from continuing to make every effort they can to prevent the killing of innocent babies in the womb for any reason and none. As someone who is totally against the death penalty and seeks to have it abolished, I have no intention of supporting it in the case of helpless babies in the womb and it is no harm to point out more than 700,000 people in Ireland agree, so Mr Kealy may expect to see other voices join Mr Bruton in speaking up for those with no voice.
At one time that would have been considered the compassionate thing to do but those who support abortion have tried to hijack the word ‘compassion’. They have not succeeded, however, as there is no way deliberately killing a vulnerable, helpless baby can ever be seen as compassionate. Mary Stewart, Donegal town