Madam, - Last Thursday we read in The Irish Times of the plight of "undocumented Irish immigrants" in the US and of the considerable support they enjoy from an array of prominent US and Irish politicians who lobby to secure for them "a path to US citizenship".
Senator Kennedy, we are told, asserts that "these are men and women we should be proud to make US citizens". The Irish Government is praised for its role in lobbying for the changes sought which, we are told, are "at the very top of the Taoiseach's agenda".
On the same day we read of a tribunal established by our Government, to which it appoints and defends the position of a member, who it is suggested, has not been known to find even one of the hundreds of unfortunate human beings who seek refuge in our country and whose fate is entrusted to him, deserving of admission.
We read regularly derogatory comments about so-called "bogus asylum seekers" who, it is suggested, are in reality "economic migrants". Quite often we read of deportations from our country, some in circumstances where they seem harsh and even cruel.
Is there not a disturbing contrast between the constant special pleading for our economic migrants in the US who, if they face deportation, will be deported to Ireland, as against the almost complete silence of prominent politicians in relation to those far less fortunate fellow creatures who face deportation from this country to places where there is no respect for life or human rights and where their future will at best be bleak?
Are there no prominent politicians conscious of this contrast in standards who will put to the top of their agenda the plight of those who have fled dire circumstances and desire to make a future here, or who will lobby to secure for those persons "a path to Irish citizenship" or who will urge that "these are men and women we should be proud to make Irish citizens"? - Yours, etc,
JUSTIN SADLEIR, Gort, Co Galway.