Madam, - You support the Constitution Review Group's recommendation that the Constitution be changed to acknowledge the rights of fathers who have a stable relationship with the mother of the child (Editorial, September 12th).
But why should a child's right to a father, and a child's relationship with his or her father, be defined in terms of the relationship between the father and the mother? Should the Constitution provide for the automatic withdrawal of rights from the father (and child) if the relationship between the parents ends?
Of course not: it is clear that children and fathers have rights independent of their relationship with the mother. These rights should be automatically provided by our laws, and set aside only where necessary. With 32 per cent of babies now being born outside marriage, it is essential that we recognise all fathers' responsibilities to their children and support them in meeting those responsibilities. - Yours, etc,
EAMONN O'NEILL, Hunters Avenue, Dublin 24.