Madam, - With regard to Séamus O'Reilly's letter on fee-paying schools (October 11th), could I point out that the parents of children who attend these schools also pay taxes? They should therefore be entitled to have their children's education subsidised relative to the tax they pay.
Removing these subsidies completely would penalise middle-income parents who struggle to give their children the best start in life they can, via the best education they can afford.
Those with higher incomes would still send their children to these schools and those with lower incomes would still send their children to free schools. Neither group would benefit by the removal of these subsidies. - Yours, etc,
RONAN KEANE, Kilmallock, Co Limerick