"How different is it where you live Jim?"
In 2013, Ireland passed a new law allowing abortion under certain circumstances. The law provided for a woman's right to an abortion if her life is at risk, including from suicide. Information on abortion services outside the state is also constitutionally protected, and is regulated by the Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State For Termination of Pregnancies) Act, 1995.
The death-grip of the church remains a factor in our law-making here - as should be apparent from the appalling case of the death of Savita Halappanavar who was refused a termination on the grounds that that sort of thing didn't happen in Christian Ireland.
Sadly, it took the clerical rape of thousands of children to loosen that grip somewhat,
Whatever the situation here- it is an improvement on that the prehistoric conditions prevailing in that little corner of Ireland that would be forever Britain.
As we have an election coming up, we have the possibility of a referendum to change the constitution - not perfect by any means, but a step in the right direction.
Jim Carroll