Madam, - What is a person facing retirement to think, having read your second Editorial of September 25th? You advocate raising the price of alcohol to reduce irresponsible consumption. What about responsible drinkers - especially those facing half-pay, or much less, in their declining years? A pint (just the one) and The Irish Times will cost €5 in Ennis today. Yet you suggest it should cost more!
I have been buying The Irish Times for almost four decades. It will soon be proportionally a much greater drain on my pocket. Something will have to go.
Can we not look to our EU neighbours, where low price and easy availability do not lead to Irish-style excess, and ask whether there is not another remedy? - Yours, etc.,
JOSEPH BYRNE,
Station Road,
Ennis,
Co Clare.