Sir, - I agree with Derek Gartland (May 9th) when he calls for debate on the asylum issue, but it seems from his letter that the kind of debate he is interested in is one where racist myths about asylum-seeking scroungers who drive round in cars and have mobile phones (what a crime, may I add) are tolerated.
I may be one of the liberal left brigade he talks about, but even though that's not what I would call myself, I'm proud to be part of a vocal minority against this rubbish. It's about time Irish people took a stand against racist hysteria; a look at the evening news about the Flood Tribunal and it's easy to see who the real scroungers are.
I have one question for the knowledgeable Mr Gartland: how many asylum-seekers does he actually know, or is he working on the assumption that all black people in Ireland are asylum-seekers? He's correct to say asylum seekers are well educated: when people leave their home countries due to political or religious persecution, they do not forget all they learned in school and university. Some of the asylum-seekers I have been in contact with are highly educated and have many qualifications. This is why many want to work and should be allowed to work. - Yours, etc.,
Niall Smyth, Rathgar Road, Dublin 6.