Madam, - While we are quick to condemn companies such as Penneys/Primark for selling garments allegedly produced by subcontractors in factories which use child labour, we fail to look at the larger picture.
Factories like these keep families fed in India, where it is necessary for many families to have every member working just to keep them barely above the poverty line.
We cannot simply say that "child labour is wrong", without understanding that children who may lose jobs if such contracts are ended will then be forced to run among the traffic and beg and steal, or led into a life of prostitution.
One third of the population of India is below the poverty line and, harsh as the conditions may be, child-labour factories are keeping families alive, and together, where the children are at least under their parents' supervision. - Yours, etc,
AOIBHEANN BRANGAN,
Painstown,
Co Meath.