Irish Writers Calls For A Yes Vote

Some of Ireland’s leading writers joined Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, in Merrion Square in Dublin yesterday lunchtime to put their X on the ballot paper.
Urging people to vote Yes, Novelist Liz Nugent said: “There are so many women in my life and so many women in other people’s lives affected by this issue.
"Perhaps you don’t know that your sister or your mother or your aunt or your niece has had an abortion. That’s probably because they are afraid of your judgement. Please don’t judge women. Allow them their bodily autonomy and allow them to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive rights.”
While Best Selling Author Marian Keys pointed out: “Nobody ever wants an abortion but there are times when a person needs one and we should stop exporting this issue to another country.
"The proposed legislation for this country is nothing like as extreme as exists in Britain. Irish women who have had abortions are not on the margins of life. They are ordinary decent women who deserve better, who deserve to be taken care of at home.”
Explaining why she is voting Yes, actress and writer Tara Flynn said: “I’m voting Yes because of all the women who can’t travel. I travelled but many people can’t so I’m urging everyone to vote Yes on May 25th.”
And author and Broadcaster Sinead Gleeson stated: “I’m voting yes because I trust women. For such a long time in this country women have not had the full bodily autonomy that they need and deserve in terms of healthcare for reasons of family or for reasons in their own lives.
"I think it’s about time that we gave them these rights. Everybody knows somebody in this country who’s had an abortion. It’s already in this country but it’s illegal and unsafe, and I think the law as it currently stands is cruel and unfair."
Minister Madigan, who is also Campaign Co-ordinator for Fine Gael Members for Yes, is actually a published author herself.
“Some of the writers here today have talked about the pain, anguish and suffering of women in this country over the decades," the Minister said.
I think their voice is so important in this debate because they have given voice to that suffering on their pages and will continue do so into the future.
"They recognise the difficulties and challenges that women in crisis pregnancies face. So it is particularly pertinent and important that they are here today to show their support for repealing the Eighth Amendment."