DEIRDRE WALSH,
Sir, - We were rather bemused by the front-page report that €320,000 of taxpayers' money was given to the Rose of Tralee festival (The Irish Times, February 5th).
The significance of this was greatly enhanced by another report on page 9 on the shameful state of Scoil Charman, Co Wexford. The school has no premises or facilities to speak of, apart from some pre-fabs and a converted sports hall. Is not primary education for all guaranteed under our Constitution? Do these children have adequate facilities to enable them to receive a full and proper education? Would €320,000 not greatly contribute to the cost of building a new school for these children?
Why should we and thousands more young people like us exercise our political voices when our elected representatives fail consistently and spectacularly to achieve our most basic expectations? - Yours, etc.,
DEIRDRE WALSH, EOIN WILSON, Monkstown, Co Dublin.