Sir, - I wish to wholeheartedly support Dick Walsh's challenge to the Government and to Irish society in general on the issue of poverty in Ireland. In a thought-provoking article (Opinion, September 19th), he points to the evasive answers given by various Ministers to the calls by individuals and voluntary agencies for a more equitable distribution of wealth. He refers especially to that objective United Nations report which certainly shows our so-called Celtic Tiger in a new light: the high level of functional illiteracy, the widespread long-term unemployment, the fact our Irish women are worse off economically than in any other industrialised country. Is this good enough in a country continually boasting about the economic boom?
The true worth of a society or of a Government may be gauged, in my view, by how it caters for its weakest and most vulnerable members. A democratic country elects a government to carry out the wishes of all the people. A democratic country elects a government to carry out the wishes of all the people. I add my voice to the demands being made at the present time for our elected representatives to set the balance right in governing our people fairly.
By way of practical suggestion I call on the Minister for Finance to give greater financial assistance to the many fine community development programmes going on in our resource centres throughout the country. The efficient staff of these centres can pinpoint local disadvantage and set about solving problems in the local situation. This process puts emphasis on adult education programmes, training in various skills, and generally supplying locally what central Government has failed to do over the years.
We need more media people like Dick Walsh to highlight these issues and to exert pressure on our Government to listen and to act. Now is the acceptable time! - Yours, etc., Terence Flanagan,
Cloonfallagh,
Kiltimagh,
Co. Mayo.