Sir, - John Waters (Opinion, December 3rd) states that "feminist groups such as Women's Aid received about £10 million of taxpayers money. . .a considerable proportion of which was spent on disseminating propaganda". The reality is that £8.3 million was allocated to providing services to women and children victims of violence through the Department of Health and Children. This allocation covers all the rape crisis centres, refuges and support centres in the entire country. Women's Aid received 6 per cent of this allocation.
It is very distressing to think that a columnist in Ireland's leading newspaper considers it appropriate to mislead the public, but it has become such a regular occurrence by this columnist that it is no surprise. - Yours, etc.,
Denise Charlton, Director, Women's Aid, Old Cabra Road, Dublin 7.