Sir, – On Saturday night's television quiz show In It to Win It on BBC 1, a contestant was asked to give the estimated population of the Republic of Ireland from a list of three options – 5 million, 15 million or 50 million. She confidently answered 50 million. Her lack of knowledge on this subject was disappointing but hardly surprising and clearly demonstrates how unaware the man on the Clapham omnibus is of the socioeconomic make-up or political environment of Britain's nearest neighbour. This is regrettable. – Yours, etc,
FRANK GREANEY,
Formby,
Liverpool.