Abortion Regret-Ruth O'Sullivan's tragic story (PLC 10-04-25)

On Wednesday, the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group hosted a really well attended event for colleagues in Buswells Hotel on the need for positive alternatives to abortion to be treated as a priority and to challenge the “all roads lead to abortion” policy that State funded bodies like the My Options ‘hotline’ appear to be pursuing at present.

A deeply impactful new video was played at the gathering featuring Ruth O’Sullivan from Cork and her abortion story. Ms O’Sullivan was present at the event and took part in a Q&A session after the video was played. She pleaded with Oireachtas members to work to ensure some balance is brought to the process so that women experiencing an unplanned or difficult pregnancy can access information in a timely manner so they don’t feel they are left with no other option than to get an abortion. Ms O’Sullivan talked about the devastating impact abortion has had on her life and how no one warned her beforehand that she might regret her decision.

The kind of change that’s needed is not going to happen with some small tokenistic tweak here or there to the way, for example, the My Options hotline operates. What’s needed is a complete overhaul of how things are done. The ideological resistance within the Department of Health and NGO sector to women being informed about alternatives prior to an abortion is indefensible and needs to be challenged head-on, with room made at the decision making table for voices other than those who promote abortion at every turn.

It is wonderful to see the All Party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group hosting such an informed and focussed event on such an important matter. It augurs well for positive change happening in the not too distant future.

Independent Senator Sharon Keogan chaired Wednesday’s meeting.

Watch the video here about Ruth’s story, called The Other Side of Abortion