Are they supporting sex for singles?

April 1983

Letter to the Editor Dear Sir,

I have been following with interest the current debate on the proposed Family Planning Legislation, and I wonder if anyone has properly defined the meaning of these words?

My understanding of family planning is a married couple planning their family. According to our Constitution, the family is founded on marriage, so only those who are married should have access to family planning services.

However, advisers/supporters of Wexford Women’s Group say that family planning services should be available to all who are sexually active, no matter what age they are, and whether they are married or not.

I say, why not call this what it is? It is supporting sex for singles, promiscuity, and fornication, rather than supporting family planning for married couples who genuinely wish to plan a family. Why not be honest about this?

Do Barry Desmond and our legislators really think these proposed services will be for the common good and the uplift of society? Does your letter write from last week really believe they will ‘ bring Ireland forward’? Forward to what? Forward to a situation like England and America, where they have had freely available contraception for many years, and also rapidly rising figures for venereal diseases, abortions, rapes, teenage pregnancies, and illegitimate children?

I say to our young single people, you have inner strengths and discipline within you that you may not even be aware of. Use them to control yourselves, rather than making the international pill and rubber companies fat with profit.

I also say to the Minister that there are many things we have greater need of in Wexford than a family planning service, such a dietician and paediatrician for our county hospital, more speech therapists, and many other services to meet the needs of the sick, the poor,and the old. Yours sincerely, Family woman (Name and address with editor).