Madam, - Having recently read the Norris judgement for the first time, I was shocked at how illiberal and intolerant the majority judgement appeared.
However, it was open to the legislature, at any time, to amend the law cited in the case. In the event, the law was not amended until nine years later.
The Oireachtas is the democratically elected legislative body of this country. We look to its members to reflect our views and enact our laws. Judges should apply the law, legislators should make it.
Perhaps the majority judgement of T.F. O'Higgins more accurately reflected the views of the Irish people and the law.
Though we may now seek to wrap ourselves in a veil of liberalism and tolerance, we barely cover our strong religious affilliations. Though religious practice may be in decline, Irish children are still overwhelmingly educated in single-sex, religious-run schools. Recent eulogising of private schools as the best conduit to a university education further high lights the continued dominance of religion in the "best schools".
Our Constitution and our psyche are wedded to this religious ethos. Perhaps conservative, illiberal and intolerant views were not the sole preserve of the judiciary? - Yours, etc., GEMMA LYONS, Ennis Road, Limerick.