Madam, - Two banks, one motor insurance company, one meat baron, the religious communities, and now as reported in The Irish Times of October 6th, the hospital consultants.
Our various governments have chosen over the years to indemnify all of the above against losses or shortfalls in their insurance cover, when each of these groups got into financial difficulties.
Would it not be more cost-effective in the long run to underwrite the work of Father Peter McVerry and Brian Fleming (Irish Times, October 7th) and their likes, working to prevent deprivation in childhood, so as to produce a well-balanced, confident and productive generation of young people? The alternative is to maintain the status quo and fill the prisons that are being planned at the moment. - Yours, etc.,
AFRA CRONIN, Christendom, Ferrybank, Co Waterford.