Sir, – It is sad to hear that one senior TD in Fianna Fáil challenged the motives of TDs in his party who voted to retain the Eighth Amendment (Sarah Bardon, "Abortion referendum has caused unrivalled division within Fianna Fáil", Analysis, May 30th). Claiming that because "most constituencies were 70-30 in favour of repeal" and that Fianna Fail "went the other way", this senior TD asserts that this proves most of his fellow TDs' support for a No vote was not genuine and was indeed "selfish and pure political opportunism". Has this TD never heard of politicians who hold genuine and sincere opinions on issues, particularly on an issue as serious as abortion, and vote with their conscience to uphold their view? Indeed the Fianna Fáil TDs, those in the other parties, and Independents, who voted to retain the Eighth Amendment in face of such strong opposition deserve to be applauded. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN RITCHIE,
Lisburn,
Co Antrim.