Sir, – William Hunt (Letters, August 31st) in his defence of fee-charging schools in Ireland states that they promote social mobility in a manner which is not available in Britain. He further states that the fees charged in Irish fee-charging schools can be within the reach of the upper working classes and the the lower middle classes. He does not seem to realise that this is a further indication of their exclusivity.
Because of the relative ease by which the social groups he champions can opt out of the non-fee-paying system, their influential and often highly educated voice is removed from the more important debate as to the kind and type of secondary education which should be provided for all the children of the nation and particularly for those who are not in the social categories he champions. – Yours, etc,
LOUIS O’FLAHERTY,
Dublin 9.