Madam, - Ronan Furlong (July 20th) bemoans the €580 million contribution to improving roads in the North. I would say that the 26-county State has never before had it so good and that a bit of forward planning is prudent. Whether Mr Furlong likes it or not, the national territory still consists of "the island of Ireland". - Yours, etc,
DERMOT SWEENEY, Ushers Island, Dublin 8.