Cartoonist Tom Halliday replies:

Sir — I never conceive and draw my cartoons with a view to offend.

The cartoon itself refers to the well-known phrase from the pro-choice movement ‘Keep your rosaries off my ovaries’ and is a fairly straight-forward ‘literal’ depiction and play on the words of that.

The teachings of the Catholic Church in regard to women’s reproductive rights have been rejected by a large majority of the Irish people.

Widespread media coverage over the weekend focused on the progressively diminishing influence of the Church in ordinary people’s lives, as acknowledged by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Again, the cartoon depicts this ‘separating’, further evidence of the increasingly ‘a la carte’ attitude to the faith taken by increasing numbers of people.

This was not a triumphalist take on the referendum outcome. I perfectly understand the deeply held beliefs and sensitivities of those who are greatly distressed by the outcome.

I offer my sincere apologies to any readers who have taken offence to my cartoon.

It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that when dealing with highly emotional and hotlycontested issues, the medium of the cartoon form itself can lead to the impression that the subject matter, on both sides of an argument, is being diminished or trivialised.

I make no distinction between aspects of Catholic teaching and any other organisation or individual who may seek to deny anyone their freedom to make decisions in regard to their own lives within the bounds of secular, democratically enacted law. On these grounds, I believe my cartoon is fair comment Tom Halliday, Skibbereen

Co Cork