Madam, - I only agreed to provide beds and continental breakfasts. My husband agreed to give a couple of hours' work. After all, we didn't have a lot of time. We were extremely busy people, working 12-hour days and weekends to earn enough money to fund a house that is too big, a car that goes too fast and a share portfolio that provided us with our main topic of conversation.
I spent the week cooking full Irish breakfasts, packed lunches and dinners. I drove my guests around, went with them to the Games to cheer on "our" athlete and accompanied them on sightseeing and entertainment outings. My husband always thought he worked with the smartest in the country. He spent this week as a volunteer working with and for the pluckiest and the most selfless. We have both stopped and actually chatted to people about themselves. We have welled with emotion at successes and disappointments and thought deeply about our ignorance about life for those with learning disability. I had to stop the car to blow my nose and wipe my eyes at the reporting from the Games. I have been profoundly affected. I do not want to go back to the tiger economy Me.
So, Mr McCreevy, please do not feel you are acting on my instructions by squeezing support to those with disability and their families in order to reduce my tax. It is not my wish that I be given higher post-tax income at a cost to those who need a proper health service and education. I can cook my own dinner instead of going out to over-priced, pretentious tiger economy restaurants. I will stand over my frying pan and recall wonderful people who couldn't understand when I told them that they gave far more to me that I gave to them. - Yours, etc.,
Prof PATRICIA BARKER, DCU Business School, Dublin 9.
Madam, - Now that we have basked in the glory of the Special Olympics, we must earnestly hope that the fruits of the games will be in the form of legislation giving access to disabled people to vital services as a right, rather than as a favour.
This is the fervent wish of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics (The Irish Times, June 26th).
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, rejects this view, arguing that rights-based legislation could lead to large-scale litigation by people unable to access services. He says that this money could be better used on providing badly needed services.
Excuse me. To raise just one question: where is the money going at the moment? - Yours, etc.,
MARY BLACKWELL, Botanic Road, Dublin 9.