Sir, - Almost as an aside, Dr Dan McLaughlin states (December 10th): "In truth, few would agree there has been a noticeable increase in the quality of public services in the 1990s, despite a £4.6 billion rise in current Government spending".
It is possible that those with children in private schools, with full medical insurance, paying (or having paid for them) significant residential property taxes may not have noticed an improvement in the quality of public services. But then again, should they? Unfortunately, not all Dr McLaughlin's fellow citizens have yet reached this income category, with its associated benefits.
In the interim, I can assure him from the real world that there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality and extent of public services and, with the "waste" of another £billion or so, life could become positively bearable. - Yours, etc.,
Abbey Park, Killester,
Dublin 5.