Abortion laws: is there not enough death?

Here we go again – another effort in Leinster House to liberalise our abortion laws, courtesy of the Social Democrats. Is there not enough death?

Party leader Holly Cairns TD was interviewed briefly on Today with David McCullagh (RTÉ One, Tuesday). The host challenged her with a relevant point – the people voted to repeal the 8th Amendment on the understanding that the abortion regime would be of a particular type (allegedly limited!) So, it would not be playing fair with voters to change it. She went on about women still being ‘forced’ to go abroad for abortions because of the remaining restrictions. Ignoring the fact that they ‘chose’ to go is surely odd for a pro-choice advocate. She spoke a lot about hearing women’s stories, but there was no sign that she included women who were distraught after their abortions, or the women who changed their minds thanks to the three-day wait, or the women who were coerced into having abortions, perhaps by abusive partners.

She was also interviewed on Newstalk Breakfast (Wednesday). It was more thorough and while there were some good questions from presenter Anton Savage (e.g. people voting on the grounds that abortion would be ‘rare, uncommon’!), it could have been a lot better. She used the ‘abortion care’ euphemism without challenge, suggested (conveniently!) that we don’t need to open up the debates we’ve had before on the broader issue. She raised the spectre of the possible criminalisation of doctors (I don’t recall any examples, but there have been coercive abortion stories). In case of any doubt, she made it clear she wouldn’t stop there, but would next set her sights on the 12-week limit.

On The Hard Shoulder (Newstalk, Tuesday). Bríd Smith, former People Before Profit TD, supported the Social Democrats move. At least she referred to a ‘baby’ in the womb, as against Holly Cairns ‘the foetus’ – technically correct but, in the context, dehumanising, I’d suggest. On the pro-life side Caroline Simons said the new proposals were to ‘expand’ rather than ‘update’ the legislation. She provided the information that Holly Cairns seemed to be unaware of – the 10,426 (around 17-18%) who never returned for an abortion after first appointment, suggesting thousands of lives saved by the 3-day wait. She also drew attention to how the numbers of abortions had ‘exploded’ since repeal (roughly 3,000 to 11,000 per annum).

On a lighter note, Twenty Twenty Six (BBC Two, Wednesdays) is a hilarious sendup of corporate jargon, attitudes and practices set in a Miami office organising this summer’s World Cup. Hugh Bonneville delightfully reprises his role as hapless but kind organiser Ian Fletcher from predecessor shows Twenty Twelve (sendup of London Olympics of that year) and W1A (sendup of the BBC). It won’t be to everyone’s taste – comedy is so subjective. The business meetings are a heap of meaningless verbiage, fudging and ambiguity, with corporate-speak jargon skewered to great effect. In last week’s episode they were trying to negotiate the perils of diversity, inclusion and equality. Oddly a youngish priest from the Vatican appeared on an online meeting to discuss the wording of a FIFA statement of the matter (as if!) The President of FIFA was also due to meet with the Pope, which raised a few corporate eyebrows but I think it stayed just about on the right side of the respect line. One of the characters is foul mouthed but for the most part it’s just him, so it’s a character trait, which makes it somewhat easier to take. David Tennant’s ironic narration is delicious.

More wholesome was a special edition of Songs of Praise (BBC One, Sunday) which featured the faith story of Claire McCollum from Northern Ireland, one the show’s regular presenters. Her Christian faith was obviously developed deeply in her family. She teared up when speaking of her father who had died – he had developed Parkinson’s disease but faith, caring and resilience had carried the family through. Her music choices were pretty mainstream – Amazing Grace, Be Thou My Vision, In Christ Alone (by NI based Keith and Kristin Getty) and there was a beautiful version of Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.

She spoke of the history of conflict in Northern Ireland and said the region also had a history and a future of peace-building. She finished with a prayerful Irish blessing – ‘… until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand’.

Pick of the Week

Theology of the Body for Teens
EWTN, Saturday, May 9, 2.30pm and Sunday (night), May 10, 2am
Language of the Body: What Is the Meaning of Sex? Some of the greatest signs are those expressed with the body, including those that people use when expressing affection sexually.

The Miracle Club
BBC Two, Saturday, May 9, 7.20pm and BBC Four, Thursday, May 14, 9pm
Dublin, 1967. The lure of Lourdes sees three wives and a prodigal daughter facing up to past actions and present fears on the trip of a lifetime.

Unreported World
Channel 4, Friday, May 15, 7.30pm
Faith healers, blending Catholic rituals with centuries-old traditions, promise miraculous recoveries through prayer, herbal remedies and psychic surgery.