Sir, – Tuesday’s Irish Times includes an article about a charity for neurodiverse children (“New sensory and therapy centre for neurodivergent children set to open in Dublin,” Social Affairs, February 24th). The charity was set up by Dairine Kennedy, the wife of Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, and three other mothers.
Below that article is one about the Government’s plan to spend €570,000 (before VAT) on merchandise such as pens, paper, tote bags, notebooks, umbrellas and lanyards, during Ireland’s EU presidency, which runs for six months.
Why can’t delegates and officials bring their own biro and paper etc?
It beggars belief. – Yours, etc,
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DAIREEN DUNDON,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Conor Gallagher reports that over €500,000 of public money will be spent on “tote bags, stationery and other merchandise to promote the upcoming Irish presidency of the European Union (“State to buy 56,400 bags, 11,000 umbrellas and 6,000 lapel pins with EU presidency branding,” February 23rd).
It seems the reason for spending this large amount of money is to provide “an opportunity for Ireland to make a significant and positive contribution to the EU”.
If that is the case, perhaps it could be explained to the hard-pressed Irish taxpayer how that aim will be achieved by distributing such items to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Maputo in Mozambique, and the Vatican. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN McDONALD,
Terenure,
Dublin 12.
