Madam, - In her article on the Assisted Human Reproduction Commission (February 6th), Carol Coulter stated: "The constitutional protection offered to 'the unborn' does not, however, define the unborn. The Government attempted to do so in the last proposed amendment on this subject by defining the unborn as the implanted fertilised egg . . ."
With due respect to Ms Coulter, she is mistaken. The Government did not seek to define or reinterpret "the unborn" and said so loudly and clearly.
The words "in particular" in the amendment, (a standard constitutional term) meant that it was not detracting from nor reducing the constitutional creating a special layer of protection for the embryo after implantation in the womb, generally the earliest time one is conscious of the existence of a pregnancy.
The Taoiseach's replies to questions posed by Mr Michael Noonan (October 19th), 2001) dealt adequately with that point in Questions 1,3 and 7. In assisted human reproduction, where human embryos are visible in vitro as living entities, it is reasonable to assume that they must have constitutional protection from the start. - Yours, etc.,
E O'RAGHALLAIGH, Dalkey, Co Dublin.