Madam, - I wish to reply to the report "Minister Jostled in UCD Campus protest" (February 17th). Unfortunately, the article failed to deal with the valid issues which the student protest raised, the inhumane immigration system which Minister Mc Dowell presides over.
The protest was a response to the deportation last week of between 60-70 asylum seekers in one night. The protesters are representative of many students in UCD who are appalled by such acts. The Students Union has an anti-deportation policy and works with concerned groups who oppose racism in all its forms.
Contrary to the claim in your article, the majority of protesters were not members of the Socialist Workers Party. The students were from a range of UCD faculties and groups and most were not members of any party.
I would appreciate if you printed this letter as I feel it is important that those who are speaking out against the Government's appalling immigration policies are given proper and fair coverage. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL DILLON, President, UCD Students' Union, Dublin 4.