Madam, - I know that we senior citizens are inclined to doze off from time to time but we must have had a particularly sleepy day on New Year's Eve. The front page of your paper on that day showed yet another kite being flown by the Government in the shape of a report on the cost of caring for the elderly.
Your summary says that it recommends that "equity be released on people's homes" to offset the cost of care. It would appear, therefore, that thousands like me have been foolish during our working lives. Instead of spending our income solely on ourselves we took out VHI cover and joined a voluntary pension scheme. Thus we were less of a burden on the State than otherwise. We also took out a mortgage to buy a modest home.
Now a State, which could give lessons on mismanaging money and healthcare, is casting a greedy eye on our homes. Faced with the prospect of highway robbery, it is better for the potential victim to have nothing that can be taken from him. - Yours, etc,
GERRY HOGAN, Templeogue, Dublin 16.