Ireland's cowardly position on abortion is bad enough (export for those who can afford it and are over 18, ban for everyone else) but what's really bizarre is that for all of the talk about this case where is the political argument?
[WS:] It is poetic justice, is not it? It is those who "cannot afford abortion" i.e. love their religion and their country but cannot pay their bills who fill the churches, which in turns gives the church the political strength. So they got what they asked for. If the churches stayed empty as in the rest of Western Europe, organized religion would not have the power it has in Ireland, and abortion would be available on demand, "just for the heck of it" (as it should be :)).
People should bear the consequences of their choices, political or otherwise. If they love their religion, they should be prepared to give up their right to abortion and other freedoms. It makes no sense to save them against their own will, as long as those who want access to abortion can get elsewhere. Providing access to abortion to those who want to use this service (e.g. in the UK or even the north) is a better use of resources than fighting for the church goers right to abortion.
Wojtek