Sir, - I find it hard to understand Michael Murphy (December 11th). He "welcomes the decline in the once powerful position of the Catholic Church in Ireland, and the collapse of its regressive grip on peoples attitudes and opinions". He states: "Ireland is a better society for it". Does he seriously believe this?
The majority of Irish people live in fear, especially the elderly who live behind locked doors - doors they are terrified to open. Nobody, young or old, can walk the streets alone at night for fear of being attacked. Children have to be accompanied everywhere for fear of child molesters. Recently two young men were brutally murdered in Dublin.
Since the decline in the Catholic religion, a new liberal agenda has taken its place where nothing is wrong anymore. Respect for people and property is, sadly, gone. Rather than saying Ireland is a "better society today", I would say we can't sink much lower. At the moment our Government is debating whether or not to legalise the murder of our unborn. Need I say more? - Yours, etc.,
F. McCoy, Monkstown, Co Dublin.