Madam, - Your photograph of our female TDs and Senators, smiling in the sunshine outside Leinster House with Ms Karin Jons MEP, made a pretty picture (The Irish Times, October 16th). The caption says they gathered for a briefing by Ms Jons on the conditions needed to ensure a 25 per cent reduction in breast cancer mortality in Ireland.
Where were the male TDs and Senators? Were they invited? Did they attend? If not, why not? One can assume that they are the sons, brothers, husbands and lovers of women. More importantly, because of the unfortunate gender imbalance in the Dáil, it is they, rather than their female counterparts, who actually have the power to bring about those conditions to reduce breast cancer mortality. - Yours, etc.,
EIMEAR BERRY, Sycamore Road, Dundrum, Dublin 16.