Madam, - Writing from Blarney, Joe O'Callaghan (February 22nd) paints a vivid picture (not in itself displeasing) of FF and PD candidates being ambushed in the long grass by publicans and their families, because the Government introduced smoking restrictions and tightened up the drink-driving laws.
Blarney indeed! Not a hint of the responsibility that the licensed trade has under the law to prevent excessive drinking, nor of its moral duty to encourage moderation. He seems to think it proper for a publican to serve a customer so much alcohol before closing time that (assuming he gets home safely) he will still be over the blood-alcohol limit next morning.
If that is really "the elderly rural population's way of life", then the sooner it is destroyed the better. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL DRURY,
Avenue Louise,
Brussels,
Belgium.