Dear Editor,

I think Ms Mary Banotti, MEP, needs to clarify what she means by "any of the works of James Joyce" in her letter of March 19th.

When she is suggesting works of James Joyce should be on the Leaving Certificate syllabus, is she thinking of Finnegans Wake, Ulysses or A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, or, perhaps, Dubliners?

I believe it is extremely important that only the very best works of literature should be included on the Leaving Certificate syllabus. If, by any chance, a lesser work is included, it should be made quite clear to the students that this is a lesser work.

I don't regard James Joyce in the same league as Charles Dickens or Jane Austen but I must admit he is an example of an Irish writer - although, as is well known, he had a European dimension.

Those who design the courses need to make more use of traditional literature, like the works of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and many others.

However, if any work of James Joyce is included, it should be stated his work is not in the same league as the traditional classics. The most important task is to maintain standards.

Yours,

St Columba's Lode, off Church Avenue, Killiney, Co Dublin.