Madam, - Ian Paisley Jnr chooses to characterise gay relationships publicly as "immoral, offensive and obnoxious" (The Irish Times, February 1st). I think it is very important to place these remarks in the context of the recent dramatic rise in violent attacks against gay people in Northern Ireland.
According to Tuesday's edition of the Belfast Telegraph, the number of reported homophobic incidents in Derry alone rose from 17 in 2003 to 54 in 2004 and reported homophobic incidents rose by 50 per cent throughout Northern Ireland over the same period. Reported homophobic incidents include at least two killings, numerous assaults and the smearing of the house of a gay person with excrement (BBC News World Edition, April 16th 2004).
Am I alone in seeing a link between the inflammatory language used by certain political and religious leaders about gay relationships in Northern Ireland and the homophobic violence carried out against gay people? - Yours, etc.,
SHANE KELLEHER, Cowper Downs, Rathmines, Dublin 6.