Master of the Rotunda talks about abortion and says "kindness" is the essence of care
The Master of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Prof Sean Daly, has said he favours the removal of the three-day waiting period before an abortion takes place. In an interview with the Irish Times on Wednesday, the Master of the world's oldest maternity hospital said he supports the recommendation to abandon the three-day wait made by barrister Marie OâShea in the recent review of Irelandâs abortion law.
It is not clear from Prof Daly's remarks if he is aware of the data that points to the number of lives saved by the three-day wait, or the admission by Ms O'Shea at a public hearing of an Oireachtas committee that before making her recommendation she never interviewed anyone from among the thousands of women who booked their first abortion appointment but did not proceed with an abortion after the three-day wait.
The issue of abortion in cases where the baby is diagnosed with Down syndrome also featured in the interview. Prof Daly used vague and euphemistic language in his responses and referred to the law not specifically allowing for abortion in such cases and the issues that arise as a result.
Nowhere in what was reported did Prof Daly express any concern about the alarming figures cited by Prof Fergal Malone in 2022 stating that 95% of unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome at the Rotunda Hospital end up being aborted.
When referring to abortion, Prof Daly uses words like "interrupt the pregnancy." Abortion doesn't merely interrupt a pregnancy, it intentionally ends the life of a new and unique human being.
Prof Daly stressed in the interview that "kindness is the essence of care." Does he seriously believe the abortion regime that operates in the Rotunda Hospital under his watch is a true and serious example of kindness and care in practice? Has he any concerns at all about the soaring abortion rate in Ireland since the law changed? In his desire to put kindness at the centre of everything, has he taken the time to meet with and listen to the stories of women who chose to abort their babies at his hospital and now deeply regret their decision?
Prof Daly's responses to the questions posed in the Irish Times' interview were soundbite driven and contained the all too familiar slant we've come to expect. Given the position he holds, the public is entitled to better. It would be a start if he would engage in answering questions like the ones outlined above.
