After Brexit and Trump I don’t give much weight to polls, so while I’m glad recent figures show that Ireland is on track to vote to repeal the eighth amendment to the Irish constitution (Report, 21 May), it concerns me that so many are still undecided on how to vote this Friday, or considering not using their vote. To do either is to say you are happy with the status quo.

Due to the bravery of so many who have spoken about the impact the eighth has had on their lives, we know what that will mean for the women and families of Ireland – a woman with a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality will be forced to travel to get the care they need; doctors can take a woman to court while she is in labour over the method of birth; a family may have to go to court to get their daughter’s/wife’s life support switched off if she was pregnant; a survivor of rape who is pregnant as a result will have the additional trauma of being forced to travel abroad; and our mothers, daughters, sisters and wives who can’t travel will continue to put their lives in danger and risk jail time by seeking out unsafe methods out of desperation. Surely no one wants to continue living in such an unsafe and cruel country?

Mairéad Ní Riagáin

London (previously Cork)

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