DES K. CLARKE,
Sir, - Paul Gorry (March 29th) quite rightly points out that the two Government Departments concerned (Health and Children, and Social, Community and Family Affairs) appear to place no value on the experience and expertise of those who made submissions during last May's month-long period of consultation about modernising Ireland's outdated civil registration system.
I am a member of at least three organisations involved in genealogy and historical research which made submissions, but which (in almost a year) have never had even the courtesy of an acknowledgement, never mind some sort of feedback. When I then discovered that amendments to current legislation had been quietly tacked on to the end of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill - which, as another issue entirely, was pushed through the Seanad last week in a matter of hours - I was left with the disturbing realisation that last May's consultation had been nothing more than an utter sham. - Yours etc.,
DES K. CLARKE,
St Brigid's Grove,
Killester,
Dublin 5.