Sir, - When will the Irish Government finally get off the fence and provide firm leadership on the issue of refugees and those seeking asylum in this country? Does it really take the suffocation of people in a sealed container before the Minister for Justice is willing to adopt a more "sympathetic approach" to the plight of refugees?
For decades politicians and others have waxed lyrical about "extending the hand of friendship" in the context of Northern Ireland; surely it is high time that the stringent efforts to keep people out of this country were abandoned in favour of the welcome that we extend to those who by accidents of geography happen to live in the EU.
Ireland is now becoming a multicultural society, and a much better, less introspective place to be because of that. It is our collective responsibility to embrace cultural diversity rather than feel threatened by those who are different. - Yours, etc.,
Yvonne Whelan, Magee Campus, University of Ulster, Derry.