Two former High Court judges back anti-abortion letter

The letter argues that repealing article 40.3.3 would leave the unborn child without constitutional rights.

It also warns that legislation proposed to follow appeal is “not simply abortion in exceptional cases but a wide-ranging right to abortion”.

Its signatories include Aindrias Ó Caoimh, formerly of the High Court and European Court of Justice, and Iarfhlaith O’Neill, formerly of the High Court and chair of the Referendum Commission in 2008.

The letter was due to be launched at a press conference in the Distillery Building, but was rearranged after The Bar of Ireland refused use of its premises for political purposes, The Irish Times reports.

Among the letter’s other signatories are Mary Faulkner, former Dean of the School of Law at King’s Inns; former RTÉ presenter and barrister Theresa Lowe; anti-abortion campaigners William Binchy, Caroline Simons and Cora Sherlock; and barrister Benedict Ó Floinn of the Human Rights Association of Ireland (HRAI).