IVO O'SULLIVAN,
Sir - Tadhg O'Brien (President, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Society, TCD, June 7th) rejects my opinion (June 3rd) that it would be at the peril of political parties to accept the recommendation of the Equality Authority that legal recognition be given for gay and lesbian couples to adopt and foster children.
I had stated that the majority of the people of this country would claim to be Christian and many of them would subscribe to the Judeo-Christian ethic and would reject the authority's recommendation - as would also the Islamic community.
Mr O'Brien asks if I am suggesting that we should enact our laws in accordance with scripture. I am not. But, obviously, when Christian teaching accords with basic human rights, such as the right to life or the rights of the child, the answer is yes.
Christian teaching serves the common good of society and supports the traditional family and the welfare of the child. I suggest that Mr O'Brien refer to the well documented letter from S. O'Connor (June 4th) written in response to Kathryn Holmquist's column of May 25th on the Equality Authority's recommendations. This cites some of the research on child-bearing outside the traditional family and of the harmful consequences. - Yours etc.
IVO O'SULLIVAN, Maretimo Gardens East, Blackrock, Co Dublin.