A chara, - The Irish are a generous people - witness how many charitable concerns we support in directing aid to the needy in foreign lands. Whether it is earthquake, famine or flood, the Irish public comes up trumps time and again, demonstrating a strong national concern for the welfare of the disadvantaged in foreign lands.
But we are not as generous to our own needy. Consider the intellectually and physically disabled in our country, and the overburdened families who care for them. Think especially of the mothers struggling to cope with the disabilities of their offspring, particularly as their child's weight and strength increases, and then answer the question, "Do we cherish all the children of this nation equally, giving to each according to its needs?" Of course we don't!
What a contrast with our response to foreign calls for help, and what a contradiction of the Irish reputation for being a generous and supportive people. In 2002, for example, we spent €340 million assessing claims by foreigners for refugee status, 90 per cent of whose claims were rejected. In effect some €300 million was wasted on legal fees and support services - money that was sorely needed to help the really disadvantaged in Irish society.
Why does it take so long and cost so much to identify the relatively few genuine refugees? I wonder what the response of the Comptroller and Auditor General will be to this shameful waste of public funds by politicians and officials running scared before the feared "racism" smear.
This monstrous waste has hardly been commented on publicly - by leader writers, opinion columnists or elected politicians, including the "Opposition". Why?
Could it be that another part of our so-called "dark side" places more value on the needs and rights of foreigners than on the needs of disadvantaged Irish? - Is mise,
LIAM Ó GÉIBHEANNAIGH,
Áith an Ghainimh,
Co Átha Cliath.