As a member of the Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, I have no option as to how I will have to vote in the forthcoming referendum on same sex marriage.

Last Thursday, May 7 between the hours of 1pm and 2pm, I experienced a most traumatic situation while attending a ‘Lón Gaeilge’ in The Western Strands Hotel, Belmullet, Co Mayo.

It is good to be a woman – as we know, women have certain characteristics that enhance relationships and our lives. It is also good to be a man – men also have characteristics that benefit relationships and society.

I am autistic as are two of my five wonderful children. I am part of a worldwide campaign trying to ban abusive, unlicensed and unregulated ‘treatments’ being used on autistic children and adults.

The ‘no’ campaign has cleverly derailed the marriage debate, such that one wonders which side has the agenda.

Officialdom now wants everybody to take out health insurance or risk having to pay age-related loadings.

As regards an article in the Irish Examiner about the condition of Macroom garda station, during my late husband’s service in the Garda Siochana, I lived in the married quarters of two garda stations, for a total of ten years.

In marriage, we give ourselves fully, in body, mind, heart and soul, to one another, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and health.

The threat to take water charges directly from wages and welfare payments (Irish Examiner, Fri May 8) surely marks a new low in the extortion of money from citizens by private and quasi-private corporations.

Listening to Taoiseach Enda Kenny being interviewed on Drivetime about marriage equality, I was astonished that, for the second time during his leadership, he didn’t speak with a ‘forked tongue‘.