Sir, – Ireland's position at the top of the "Good Country Index" ("Ireland is the best country in the world, new survey suggests", June 24th) would be reinforced by including emigration in the measures of a country's outward contribution to humanity, though whether exporting 87,000 well-educated young people a year should receive an accolade is debatable. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Cnoc an Stollaire,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I can’t help but suspect that there may be a link between something in the psyche of the Irish that is forever seeking external approbation – doing what pleases others rather than what is in their own selfish interests – and getting a high score in these kinds of indices. Frankly, as the bank bailout example shows rather starkly, the Irish need to be more like the Swiss or, indeed, the Danes, who allowed something like 10, albeit smaller, banks simply go to the wall, and thus entirely self-interested, when it counts. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN LYNCH,
Vernon Avenue,
Clontarf, Dublin 3.