Where’s the opposition?

A Chara, The decision of Fianna Fáil to support the Government on abortion up to 12 weeks lends weight to the argument that we have no Dáil opposition. I think FF is missing a political opportunity at the least – and they should be keeping the Government’s feet to the fire by showing the damage abortion does to individuals and to society.

In the wider society it is noteworthy that entire swathes of opinion – I am thinking of sports organisations, for example, as well as people who enjoy secure salaries – seem prepared these days to prioritise the avoidance of internal controversy over the right of their members and co-workers to be properly informed about matters that affect the good of society in general.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn got it right about Western society, after he bailed out of his native USSR: he criticised the lack of courage out there, among the Western elites.

So let me draw attention to two Kerry communities who are seldom mentioned and whose rights suffer by abortion: adoptive parents who can’t be given a baby to raise, because there are none available, and men who are not consulted when their young women go abroad and abort their expected babies.

Is any of this to form part of the discourse in the months running up to the referendum on abortion, or will it be the ‘right’ argued for by one section of our society only?

Le meas, Gerald O’Carroll, Huntsfield, Dooradoyle, Limerick.