Madam, - Last Thursday I received the Office of Emergency Planning's handbook entitled Preparing for Major Emergencies.
Perhaps the outgoing Taoiseach and the current Minister for Defence would now, as a matter of urgency, encourage the current Minister for Health and Children to issue a similar publication informing citizens how best to deal with the current epidemic of public disillusionment and despair that is rife among decent, law- abiding people who are sick to the teeth of poor governance, political shenanigans and the so-called democratic process in this country.
Failing that, the Minister for Health and Children, in conjunction with other appropriate authorities including the HSE, might consider issuing concerned citizens with a good supply of large sick- bags with a longer "best before date" than the now well out-of date-potassium iodate tablets that were issued a few years ago in the event of a nuclear accident. - Yours, etc,
PETER GAUGHAN,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - I refer to the report in your edition of April 18th about Mrs Peg Mc Entee (76) having to spend 60 hours on a trolley in the Mater Hospital awaiting a bed in the A&E unit. Firstly may I express my deepest concern to Mrs Mc Entee and her family. What happened this unfortunate woman is totally unacceptable. Her treatment in this manner was appalling and absolutely out of order.
Who is responsible? In my view our entire political class, from whatever party, together with their overpaid, underworked, time-serving, seat-warming bureaucrats.
There's not much I can do to help Mrs McEntee. But one thing I will do is vote No in the forthcoming referendum on the Lisbon treaty.
I have no problem with the EU - in fact, I think it's rather a good thing. But the referendum is the only chance I'll get for the present to give a good kicking to the aforementioned politicians and their bureaucrats.
A No majority in the poll would embarrass them no end and perhaps might just get them thinking where they are going wrong. - Yours, etc,
JOSEPH MALONE,
Mount Pleasant Square,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.