Pro life politicians did not prioritise their opposition to abortion in the way that Irish language supporters held out for their demands
Given the parlous state of the Northern Ireland finances many people regard it as inexplicable that the local parties did not negotiate a financial package to help deliver public services at the moment they had greatest leverage before the recent agreement was sealed.
However I regard the failure to address the issue of the rights of the unborn as an even more fundamental oversight.
No doubt new legislation will be passed but it will be on terms dictated by those least committed to the anti abortion cause in Sinn Fein.
As a result we are likely to see abortion on demand up to 12 if not 14 weeks.
It appears that all of the promises made to the pro life community at election time have very quickly evaporated.
The small Irish language community had elected political representatives who were prepared to hold out for three years until their demands for legislation were met.
Sadly the pro life community could not rely on its representatives to give its cause a similar priority.
Gary Hutton, Larne