A while back I wrote a blog about my view on abortion being made legal in Ireland in a time of change for my personal opinions on it. This is a second blog on that topic because it is coming up a lot again lately. This is only the fourth or fifth piece I have done on current affairs because I generally stay away from them (if you read this in a week it may no longer be relevant) but some things have been annoying me lately and I feel the need to blog about it.
In my last blog on abortion I ended with the idea that it would be interesting to see a referendum campaign on abortion occur throughout Ireland... I take that back!
In the first instance I need to say that I think it is absolutely disgusting that the Dail plans on passing legislation on abortion without a referendum. I believe this to be unconstitutional and I hope it is rejected by the President as such (however, with President Michael D. being a Labour man himself it is extremely unlikely that such a bill would be rejected as unconstitutional by such a president).
In case you were wondering by which article I propose abortion legislation to be unconstitutional it is Article 40.3.3 which states:
"The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right."
Now the government are being really sneaky here. With the tragic death of Mrs. Halappanavar the government have made moves to introduce abortion legislation to Ireland under the middle bit of the above statement (with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother).
However, if abortion is legalised under the circumstances that we are talking about how is the right to life 'equal'? If the mother's right to life supersedes the unborn child's right to life we are no longer talking equal.
In one such instance the new legislation proposes to allow abortions if the woman is at risk of suicide due to the pregnancy. The rigmarole they have introduced with this clause (having to see three doctors first) will make it very unlikely that this clause will be enacted legitimately but people who aren't suicidal at all will use it to get rid of their unwanted pregnancies, thus abusing a stupid system in the first place.
The reason I say that it will unlikely be enacted legitimately is owing to the fact that people who feel suicidal often don't come forward as such, when you are hopeless and at the point of ending your life you don't go see three doctors about it.
Now undoubtedly the woman in the situation of genuine suicidal tendencies due to pregnancy has a right to life. However, constitutionally the unborn child has an equal right to life. This means that the State, under her own constitution, needs to protect both people in this situation. We need to provide appropriate care for the mother during, and after, pregnancy and not just offer ridiculous solutions that may provide temporary release but may also cause longer term emotional problems as the woman, who was already emotionally unstable if she was planning to take her own life, will undoubtedly suffer. How is the state looking after her well being then?
On a final note for this particular posting I wish to also highlight that it is even more disgusting that the political parties backing the bill (which I think is all of them) besides Fianna Fail (who are appearing like the best at the moment but are the party that got us into the mess we are in, let's not forget that Ireland) are not allowing free voting on this issue. The Irish political parties are telling their members in the Dail and Seanad Eireann they will be disciplined if they go against the party and vote no for this bill. I don't think anyone has the right to decide how a person, who is supposed to represent other people, who may all be opposed to the bill, how to vote on any Dail legislation.
On a final note, if the bill does pass it would be worthwhile having an alliance of Pro-Life people, including the Roman Catholic Church and other Churches in Ireland should bring the legislation to court on the issue of the equality being enshrined in the constitution. That might at least get a referendum...
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