Madam, - Cal Hyland's haughty declaration (April 10th) that "it is very unfair of you to allow people to display their lack of knowledge. . . in your letter columns" must denote that you are most unfair to the offended author. Otherwise, his errant diktat that the name of the State is "Poblacht na hÉireann/the Irish Republic" would have been refused publication.
He refers of course, to the official description of the State, which in no way overrides Article 4 of the Constitution which says: "The name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland".
The jurisprudence behind Article 40.6.1, which guarantees the "right of the citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions", seems particularly poignant in this instance. - Yours, etc,
DEREK NOLAN, Riverside, Galway.
Madam, - Could those who insist on making pedantic points on these pages please ensure they know the facts? Bunreacht na hÉireann: "The name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland."
The Republic of Ireland Act, 1948: "It is hereby declared that the description of the State shall be the Republic of Ireland."- Yours, etc,
PAUL LAIRD, Skerries, Co Dublin.