Abortion must be legislated for in a realistic way

SIR, I am writing to you regarding last week’s meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment. I would like to firstly say that I have great admiration for the majority of the committee members and the respect they have shown for this issue. However, I am very disappointed at the behaviour of some committee members, namely Mattie McGrath and Ronan Mullen. It seems to me that they are trying to disrupt the proceedings and continue to do so week after week.

This committee is talking about choices which women have and will be able to make. In 2016, 3,265 women who travelled to the UK for an abortion gave an Irish address and countless more took pills at home, risking a 14-year prison sentence.

Where is the regard for the dignity of those women and the 170,216+ who have travelled since 1983? These are real people, not just statistics.

There will be a referendum next year regarding the Eighth Amendment and the people of Ireland will be given a choice, for the sake of those 170,216+ women, I hope the question presented to the people of Ireland is a simple one, a Yes or No question. I hope that the Oireachtas Committee, after they have finished proceedings, feel the same way about this.

The referendum we have will determine whether or not we are going to deal sufficiently with this issue, or continue exporting it. If abortion is introduced in a very limited number of circumstances and within certain term limits, we will be leaving the majority of women who travel to procure an abortion behind, and this would simply not be good enough. Abortion must be legislated for in a realistic way and we must give those seeking healthcare the access they need.

It seems to me that pro-life TDs within the Committee can see that the tide is changing. They can see that when presented with the factual evidence the Committee will, just as the Citizens’ Assembly did, come out with the view that we must repeal the Eighth Amendment and introduce sufficient legislation on abortion. It’s clear to me that these committee members are grasping at straws, trying to distract the public from the real issue – women’s reproductive rights and the need for reform. Sincerely, Suzanne Coombs, 16 Belsize Court, Newcastle,

Galway.