Apology from letter-writer ...

Here in the interests of fairness, is the text of the apology that the same emailer sent later today. But in a way, is it even worse?

I'd like your views...aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie or @aodhanoriordain on twitter

Re: Mr. Gilmore's statement on same-sex marriage

Dear Labour representative,

With reference to my email of 2 July, I realise now that my choice of wording was not good. I wish to make it clear that I did not mean any offence to you or to any Irish citizens and I apologise unreservedly if this was the case.

I was feeling very frustrated and angry with the ambiguous content of Mr. Gilmore's statement - "I don’t believe for example that it should ever be the role of the State to pass judgement on whom a person falls in love with, or whom they want to spend their life with.” I believe that he should have chosen his words more carefully because the state already passes judgement on certain liaisons.

I realise now that I should have stuck to the point about same-sex marriage and not drifted into an argument as to why I believe homosexual acts to be wrong. I am worried and scared about the future of my country if two people of the same sex can possibly legally adopt a child. I realise that not everyone agrees with me but just as those liberal people are entitled to express their view, so am I.

Please accept this as a sincere apology for my badly-worded argument - though I am still opposed to same-sex marriage and do not wish to see it introduced.

Yours sincerely,