Sir, - Why, oh why do we have so many extensive weather forecasts on domestic television and radio when everyone knows that the weather in Ireland is the same every day and will remain the same for the next trillion years? There is no need for the general public to be continually reminded that cold fronts are approaching from the north-east and rain belts are coming in from the south-west and so on, and on, and on.
Everyone already knows what kind of weather to expect every day of every year in this country. The Met Office has a role to play in giving advance warning of rare freak conditions to shipping and aircraft. This service is adequately provided through radio stations all around the coastline.
However, the drawn-out, monotonous forecasts on domestic radio and television after every news bulletin are a complete waste of time.
Here is my forecast for the Second Millennium: It will be cold, wet and windy, full stop. Now can I ask all you weathermen and weatherwomen from radio and television land to gather up your maps and charts, remote control buttons, sympathetic smiles and silly graphics and . . . just get the hell out of our faces, okay? - Yours, etc., Brendan Clifford,
Eyre Street, Newbridge, Co Kildare.