Sir, - I regret I must take issue with one of the salient points in Andy Pollak's Irishman's Diary of August 16th, specifically the words "we, in the well-insulated comfort of middle class Ireland". I am intrigued that Andy Pollak perceives all Irish Times readers as a homogeneous group of suburban sybarites.
In reality, the Celtic Tiger has bypassed an ever increasing number of indigenous nouveau poor who are trying to survive in this land of Bord Failte make-believe.
I wonder does Mr Pollak suffer from geographical compassion: the further away poverty and social ills are, the more worked up about them we should be, while we adopt an attitude of insouciance towards the problems of homelessness and economic marginalisation on our own doorstep? - Yours, etc.,
Paul Kenny, Bride Road, Dublin.