Madam, – The admonition in your Editorial (January 1st) to face the future with courage and hope is opportune.
There are strong reasons for hope. Exports are rising. The balance of payments is moving into surplus. The unemployment rate has fallen slightly and even the number of property transactions is increasing.
The development of the economy was never more than a means towards the end of providing a better quality of life for our people. More than ever at this difficult time we need to renew our traditional Irish strong sense of community and care for others.
We share these values with our partners in the European Union. We have worked with them for almost four decades to fulfil a vision of peace, stability, and prosperity on our continent. Their recent financial support demontrates the reality of their commitment to us. We can play our part by demonstrating a model of the effective operation of EU solidarity. We will all be stronger as a result. – Yours, etc,