Moving forward.

Abstract

The release of the long-awaited Green Paper by the Irish government opens an opportunity for a constructive dialogue and real debate on abortion. The rise in abortion cases in Ireland, from a previous 5336 cases to 5892 in 1998 has led the Irish government to draft the Green Paper to outline and analyze possible questions concerning abortion. Approaches ranged from the total restriction of abortion to an expanded right to abortion. It recognizes the complexity and ambiguity inherent in the abortion question. The challenge is now to harness this opportunity for debate and dialogue, because there are those who are seeking to use the same opening to promote intolerance, fear, and violence. There has been a dangerous increase in antiabortion extremism that coincides with the increasing ties between American and Irish antiabortion groups. Tony O' Brien, chief executive of the Irish Family Planning Association, however, assured that the Irish pro-choice movement is determined to prevent the Irish abortion debate from following the violent divisive road it has traveled in the US. It now aims to promote dialogue on the abortion issue, to encourage an honest understanding of the realities of abortion in Ireland, to legalize abortion in the country, and to address the much neglected problem of reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies.