In relation to the referendum on same-sex marriage, it’s worth making the point that we don’t owe our existence as a species to ideologically-defined ‘equality’ but to sexual complementarity, a relationship or situation in which two or more different things improve or emphasise each other’s qualities — this has been the basic defining characteristic of marriage in all major societies throughout history. Sexual complementarity, by definition, exists only between men and women.

Regarding the Government’s intention to criminalise the purchase of sex but not its sale, has any thought has been given to the outcomes from making the transaction a criminal offence for one party but not other.

Last week’s publication of this year’s Junior Cert results again draws attention to how well girls do relative to boys in this exam (and, of course, the same is true in respect of the Leaving Cert).