Madam, - Eoin McMahon (September 20th) accuses those of a "social(ist) disposition" of conveniently omitting absolute poverty from the discussion of current Government policies. But it can equally be argued that the Government parties conveniently and persistently omit relative poverty from this discussion.
We constantly hear the Government applauding itself on having raised pension and other social welfare payments since coming to office, while failing to mention the widening gap between average incomes and the incomes of social welfare recipients (and the low-paid).
Why are the incomes of the poor measured in absolute terms while other incomes, such as ministerial salaries (which are aligned to industrial levels), are measured in relative terms? Congratulating ourselves on having reduced absolute poverty, while ignoring relative poverty, is about as sensible as congratulating ourselves on having a public health service better than health services in third-world countries or Bertie congratulating the Dublin team (after it has been beaten by Westmeath) on being fitter and faster than they were 40 years ago.
This, of course, would be nonsense. Most measures in society are relative and relative poverty in a society with such wealth is a disgrace and an embarrassment internationally. - Yours, etc.,
PADDY MEYLER, Backgate Lodge, Ballycurry, Ashford, Co Wicklow.