Sir, - Ivana Bacik (News Features, November 18th) rejects the option of a referendum to reverse the ruling in the X case on the grounds that such a referendum would involve "a bitter, divisive and unnecessary debate about a referendum defeated in 1992."
Curiously, however, Prof Bacik goes on to say that "the needs of the majority of Irish women who have abortions each year on grounds other than risk to life" cannot be met without "a constitutional referendum to remove the eight amendment and replace it with legislation providing for free, safe and legal abortion in this country."
Your correspondent clearly believes such a referendum to be necessary and, no doubt, a small minority of people would agree with her. But is she blind to the fact that such a referendum would be far more bitter and divisive than the referendum favoured by the Pro-Life Campaign could ever be? - Yours, etc.,
Padraic Sheridan, Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8.