Madam, - In a climate in which parents are forced to sue the Government to secure the right to education for their children and in which adults with learning difficulties are incarcerated in mental hospitals, it beggared belief to hear the Taoiseach commending the athletes at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics for overcoming personal challenges.
There was no mention, of course, of overcoming adversity in the form of cuts in Government spending. The hypocrisy was palpable in this, the European Year of the Disabled, when the Government will not state definitively whether or not the upcoming Disability Bill will be rights-based and when it has cut funding that provides respite care for families of people with special needs.
Shame on Bertie Ahern! Has he forgotten the parents and carers of those children who protested outside the Dáil very recently and the father of two boys in Limerick who invited him to stay in their house for a week?
Mr Ahern's performance in the presence of inspirational figures such as Nelson Mandela and Eunice Kennedy Shriver was nothing short of an insult. - Yours, etc.,
MARY PAT O'MALLEY, East Tralee, Co Kerry.
Madam, - I would like to make two points regarding the Special Olympics.
First, it would be wonderful if the welcoming spirit displayed by people in host towns all over could remain permanently. We should always welcome and support less fortunate people - whether they are in this category because of educational disability or because of economic hardship in foreign countries. We must never forget how critical was the welcome granted to the Irish in the not-so-distant past in North America, England and Australia, for example.
Second, Saturday night's coverage of the opening ceremony and the scheduled televising of the games by RTÉ did not, in my view, reflect either the spirit or the importance of this, the largest sporting event in the world this year.
Could RTÉ not have forgone advertising revenue during the opening ceremony? The intrusion of commercials from the Bank of Ireland (premier sponsor) and other companies meant that many of the delegations were not seen by their host towns and other interested viewers.
Then there were the quite unnecessary attempts - some unsuccessful - to interview "stars" accompanying each delegation. Surely the real stars were the special athletes! The others get innumerable opportunities for publicity. - Yours, etc.,
VICKI NASH, Cullinagh, Newcastle West, Co Limerick.
Madam, - I watched the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics with awe (for those taking part) and pride (at the show our small island produced). However, I was galled to see that Bertie Ahern was standing up on stage and giving a speech. Has the man no shame?
Having systematically made life more and more difficult for the carers and those being cared for in this country during his time in office, he is now proposing a second discriminatory Bill against the more fragile members of this society.
I was shocked at his presence on stage next to worthies such as Ms Kennedy Shriver and Mr Mandela. - Yours, etc.,
ANNE-MARIE CURTIN, St Jarlath Road, Cabra, Dublin 7.
Madam, - Patrick Kielty was an inspired choice as MC of the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics. His self-effacing and unpatronising manner consistently hit the right note - particularly in his interaction with the wonderfully exuberant and unselfconscious delegates.
It was a performance in marked contrast to that expected of the "usual suspects" brought out for such occasions. - Yours, etc.,
STEPHEN O'RIORDAN, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
Madam, - I am delighted to read, according to its own publicity, of An Post's involvement in Special Olympics.
I wonder how many of these fine competitors will have returned to their home countries before their postcards reach their destinations. - Yours, etc.,
LESLIE DAWKINS, Blackheath Park, Dublin 3.