Sir, – The heading given to Joe Lynam's paean to the possibilities of an honours system (Opinion, June 25th) asserted that "Ireland is grown up enough to have an honours system". Surely the opposite is the case; Ireland is grown up enough not to have, or need, an honours system.
He states that Ireland is a “beacon of prosperity, modernity and decency”. Yes, there are certainly things to be proud of, but the benefits of prosperity do not apply to those struggling on low incomes, who are Travellers or those who are in direct provision.
And decency does not apply to international relations, not least in oiling the USA’s war machine at Shannon or facilitating multinational tax avoidance which hits poorer countries disproportionately. – Yours, etc,
ROB FAIRMICHAEL,
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Belfast.