Many Catholic bishops in Ireland have been writing letters and making statements at mass outlining their position on the Eighth Amendment referendum.

Bishop of Ossory Dr Dermot Farrell, who was appointed by Pope Francis earlier this year, has suggested that abortion is sometimes worse than rape.

The bishop stated: "What I understand from women who have been raped is that the abortion that followed sometimes after rape was far worse than the rape itself."

Colm O'Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International, says the bishop's comments were "extraordinary."

"Abortion is a healthcare provision that needs to be available to women and girls who are pregnant as a result of rape or incest. Those comments were gratuitous, hugely offensive, enormously disrespectful and entirely inappropriate."

"I think the Catholic Church is perfectly entitled to express their views, but they should at least take the time to make sure that they're informing their own understanding of the law."

Lorcan Price, formerly of Catholic Comment, says: "This is an emotive issue, and there are people who will quickly jump on anyone who disagrees with them as being deliberately offensive. I think people are tired of hearing the language of offense."

"Obviously these comments were made in the context of the referendum that we're being asked to vote in, and I think the bishop was talking generally about how the proposal before the people is much wider than these kind of difficult cases we're discussing now."

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