Four reasons not to repeal

■ Following the judgment of the Supreme Court on the constitutional rights of unborn children, it is now impossible to deny that the repeal of the Eighth Amendment will remove all constitutional protection from the unborn. A number of consequences would follow from repeal.

Firstly, any protection offered by legislation to the unborn – right up to birth – will be subject to political and legal challenge.

Secondly, in the future the Supreme Court could quite possibly strike down any restricting provision of legislation as being unconstitutional.

Thirdly, in the absence of any constitutional rights for the unborn, international courts are likely to fill that vacuum and rule against any efforts by the legislature to offer any protection to those not yet born.

Finally, for anyone who is broadly opposed to abortion but considers that in certain difficult circumstances it should be permitted, it is now entirely clear that what the Government proposes to put to the people in the referendum is designed not to address these concerns but remove any constitutional obstacle to abortion on demand throughout the full nine months of gestation.

The decision to be taken by each voter is very stark and clear.

Peter Carvill Sandymount, Dublin 4