Madam, - A report by Barry O'Keeffe in the Health Supplement of December 4th states that separated people have high suicide rates, and that the number of separated people in Ireland is increasing. The effect on children is not stated, but we can guess.
The Irish people considered the advantages and disadvantages of marriage and divorce when they voted narrowly to introduce the latter in a referendum in 1995. In choosing divorce, people were probably influenced by several sectors of the media.
Divorce, in preference to marriage, is not without its drawbacks. The media must acknowledge its responsibility for being a party, however indirectly, to the drawback that has just been brought to light by your newspaper. - Yours, etc,
DONAL O'DRISCOLL, Blackrock, Co Dublin.