Of late, Dr Peter Boylan’s friends like to joke – with very good reason – about Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring Of Fire’ being one of his favourite songs. Since he put his head above the parapet to air his views on abortion, the former master of the National Maternity Hospital has been in the hot seat, when it comes to the Repeal debate.

Given the highly emotive attitude of some to the issue, whatever Boylan says in this Hot Press Interview is likely to needle the pro-life side. Over the past couple of years, several politicians have told us that they have received hate mail, or been accosted on the street for expressing pro-Repeal views. Not so Peter Boylan, and he is hoping that it will stay that way, no matter how heated the debate becomes during the next few weeks.

“The majority of people I would be familiar with, whose views would differ from mine, are very respectful,” says Boylan. “They know I respect their views. Nobody is forcing anybody to have a termination of pregnancy. And nobody is forcing anybody to change their views.