Sir, – Ireland’s plans to affix graphic health warnings on bottles of Italian wine is yet another sign of the creeping infantilisation of Irish society (Naomi O’Leary, “Vehemence of Italy’s reaction to wine warning plan has taken Irish diplomats aback”, World, January 26th). It started in abundance during Covid when we were constantly reminded to “wash those hands” and “look after each other”.
Now our wine bottles are to be mutilated by some half-baked graphic design reminding us of the obvious. We all know well that drinking alcohol is not good for your health. But we choose to do it anyway. Wine is nice. It adds flavour to that other heart-clogging menace, red meat.
The Italians are quite right to object and let’s hope they succeed. The Irish Government surely has better priorities. – Yours, etc,
PETER MALONE,
Ann Ingle: Deliberately going out of my way to move for no particular reason has never appealed to me
Gerry Thornley: How about an alternative look at Ireland’s Six Nations win over England?
Is Ireland anti-Semitic, an outlier of tolerance or in the middle ground?
How risky is it to buy a second-hand EV?
Clare Island,
Co Mayo.
Sir, – Further to “When did we begin to become such puritans?” (Opinion & Analysis, January 26th), does Finn McRedmond’s contention that we need not have warning labels on harmful products apply to tobacco too? Perhaps we should remove warning labels on cigarettes for fear they might impact the mental health of smokers. Or does this opinion apply only to the indulgences she enjoys? – Is mise,
KATIE HARRINGTON,
Dunmore,
Co Galway.
