Offensive comments about adoption

SIR, Deputy Kate O’Connell’s “Handmaid’s Tale” comments at the Oireachtas Committee regarding the adoption of babies to childless couples as an alternative to abortion was as revealing as it was appalling.

The analogy refers to the grim novel by Margaret Atwood where the handmaids were retained and valued only for their ability to have babies in a de-populated world. Not only is it offensive to those who struggled to have children and those who have adopted, what is a mother-to-be to make of the valid alternative of giving up her child for adoption for socio-economic reasons? Is she to conclude that it’s better to abort than adopt?

All through human history, fostering and adoption have been an important outlet and safety valve in hard situations. In a country where there is more childlessness due to leaving it too late, current adoption law and practices have effectively cut off this positive option, to the point where it’s not even in the cultural mindset to consider.

In the pursuit of the right to take the life of the unborn, it sounds like some minds are already made up, and any reasoning will do to legitimize the truly inhuman act of abortion. The UK has reached 50 years experience of the outcome of this logic with over 9 million abortions officially recorded since the law was enacted. That’s where we are headed and that scale of consequence is what is truly shocking. Sincerely, Willie Hayes, Castleredmond, Midleton.