Abort, Retry, Fail

Politicians are a gutless, selfish bunch – evinced by their utter willingness to wade in and legislate on matters taboo in Irish society.

Making headlines in Ireland is the case of Miss D, a teenage girl told that her unborn child is anecephalic, meaning that parts of its brain and skull would be so undeveloped at birth, most likely causing it to die within three days. The boiled down facts are that she wanted to travel for an abortion, but was prevented by a combination of the HSE, District Court, and High Court. What really prevented her from travelling to the UK for what can only be described as a human procedure, was political cowardice.

Finally, after a month of legal wrangling, Miss D has been granted the permission to travel for an abortion, and the matter will, no doubt, be brushed under the carpet, unless political sado-masochist Michael McDowell has another fit of pique, and decides to stab himself in the back just one more time while people will still listen.

Barring some aftershock hubbub, the issue of abortion in Ireland is likely to ‘go away’ until the next troubled teen or rape victim (as in the 1992 X case – full judgement here) threatens to head to England to terminate a pregnancy.

Reading the X case judgement, now 15 years old, reads as a stunning indictment of political hide-and-seek. If you scan it for the word ‘legislation’, a large portion of the entries are preceded by ‘want of’, ‘absence of’ and ‘not inacted any’.

The latter of those mentioned is contained in McCarthy J’s judgement, quoting another of his judgements in 1989, where he said: “It is unfortunate that the Oireachtas has not enacted any legislation at all in respect of this constitutionally guaranteed right,” referring to the right to life of the unborn.

Who has been in power for all but 2 years in that 18-year period? Fianna Fail.

I’d add the fada on Fail, but it hardly seems appropriate.

Perhaps it’s time to grasp this nettle, and more power to the person that does.

More:

Politics.ie discussion on the matter

Irish pro-lifers