Richie Fenton, 28, is an architect from Co. Waterford
“The conversations surrounding the Eighth Amendment are largely devoted to dealing with the rights of the mother and the unborn child. The rights and concerns of the father are rarely talked about.
“As a man it can be difficult to discuss the idea of abortion when it is so commonly referred to as a ‘woman’s right’. Men can often feel like they should remain silent on the issue. I feel it is important for everyone in this country to get involved with the discussion which is ultimately a discussion about human rights and the value of human life itself.
“The Eighth Amendment is a life-saving amendment. It gives equal protection to both the baby, and their mother, in law. It is the reason there are tens of thousands of people alive and in our country today · because we don“t have local acess to abortion in Ireland. It gives women and couples time to really think the decision through.
“Nowadays we can’t deny the scientific facts about the development of the baby in the womb. We know a baby’s heart starts beating at 21 days and characteristics such as eye and hair colour are defined at the moment of our creation. For me, there is no denying that this is a human life and deserves to be protected.
“The unborn child is completely dependent on us and our laws to protect them. Abortion introduces a culture where we no longer value the life of every human being equally. It discriminates against the most vulnerable in society · a group of real people who rely on us and our constitution to protect them. That is what the Eighth Amendment does. It protects each and every one of us.”