A chara, – Siobhán Doyle (January 28th) has my sympathies. I too recently endured a series of humiliating rejections when attempting to have my application witnessed by a French “professional”, finally persuading my bemused bank manager to sign the form. Why, in this day and age, are Irish people still required to go cap-in-hand to strangers when applying for a passport? Of course, being but a lowly scientist, my understanding of such lofty issues is scant. Perhaps someone from a “real” profession could enlighten me? – Is mise,