Social and political row to be expected

Madam Editor;

In the event of it being carried, there is going to be an enormous political and social row after the abortion referendum.

Most politicians and voters who have been persuaded to support the yes side, do so on the assumption that abortion in this country will be similar to most states in the EU; possibly on the more restrictive side and certainly not one of the most liberal and unrestrained regimes in the world. Yet the most unrestrained abortion regime in the world is what they are likely to get and the real cherry on the cake for extreme abortionists is that Irish Government will be utterly unable to do anything about it.

To do so would require holding and winning another abortion referendum which would install some provision in the Irish Constitution to allow Government enact legislation able to restrain and prevent abortion in certain circumstances.

The wording proposed for insertion in the Constituting is very interesting.

It allows legislation to “regulate” abortion; there is no reference however of legislation which could “prevent” abortion.

It is this aspect of the referendum which is of so much interest to some of the biggest international abortion chains.

A regime where abortion is allowable and government, because of a written constitution, unable to institute any legislation to prevent abortion at any time during pregnancy or for any reason is exactly the location industrialized abortion seeks It is rumoured many international abortion chains are negotiating premises in Ireland and some, it is whispered, have even inquired if State assistance is available in view of additional jobs being proposed. The 12.5% tax on profits in such a lucrative enterprise is an additional attraction. Enormous amounts of money will be available to challenge the constitutionality of any legislation which seeks to prevent abortion or can be construed as conferring right on the unborn. With such an impending situation, despite being at the late hour, it is surely important to clarify the issue of constitutionality of any legislation to prevent abortion of healthy babies at any time for no reason, before the vote is cast.

Padraic Neary, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo.