Sir, - Philip Donnelly (May 16th) rightly calls for an open debate "on an issue of fundamental importance to the societal fabric of our country". But if it is to ever take place it will require a more rigorous examination of the comfortable presumptions of our increasingly less settled community.
Firstly it will require the overt recognition that "our country" is also the native land of our dispossessed Travelling people. Citizens rights and responsibilities are being abused and neglected on both sides.
Recent figures on mortality rates and increasing numbers on the side of the road, coupled to ongoing closure of traditional halting locations, seem to indicate the balance of wrongs in the overheated free market demand for living space.
And a cursory glance at any programme in RTE's The State We're In should bring us all up to date on the state of play regarding the ongoing "wanton vandalism" of homo consumptus sedentius on our common natural heritage, public and private.
Mr Donnelly is correct. This debate is long overdue. And increasingly less local. - Yours, etc.,
Damien Flinter, Market Street, Clifden, Co Galway.