Sir, - There has been a lot of publicity lately surrounding adoption procedures and the heartbreaking inability of a lot of couples to meet required standards as set by Government agencies. While this principle of high standards may be valid, the same criteria do not apply to everyone seeking to mould "natural born siblings" into valued members of our society.
If adoption standards were applied uniformly across the entire pool of parents, let's be honest, very few of us would make the grade. A new Government agency for screening prospective parents could also incorporate a parenting skills department!
There is a saying that we shouldn't interfere with how someone brings up their children. This is entirely misdirected. We should have parenting standards applicable to everyone who brings a child into this world. - Yours, etc.,
Christy Maloney, Bray, Co. Wicklow.