Madam, - It might be useful for both Fr Gregory O'Brien (April 6th) and Brian Whiteside (April 9th) to consider the results of the European Values Study in Ireland from 1990 and 1999.
When asked if they thought it was important to hold religious services for birth, marriage and death, in both 1990 and 1999 more than 93 per cent of all respondents in the Irish sample said "Yes" for all three categories.
More than 96 per cent expressed a belief in God and in life after death.
I suspect that all this portends much more work for Fr O'Brien than for Mr Whiteside.
Incidentally, the next iteration of the European Values Study takes place in 2008.
- Is mise,
MICHAEL J. BREEN, Department of Media and Communication Studies, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Limerick.