Sir, - Last week my daughter handed me an application form to enable her to join a group passport arrangement for a school student exchange trip to France.
She required my signature to validate parental authority, but I was bemused to see that my own signature had to be witnessed by a member of nominated professions, mostly drawn from the ranks of those now appearing or mentioned before assorted tribunals and courts. The list included politicians, bank managers, clerics and other disgraced occupations.
It is high time that a new approved list was drawn up to embrace really important citizens like mothers, plumbers, musicians and, of course, more lately plasters. In fact no politician should get a passport unless the application is approved by a nurse or an unemployed person. That might quickly sort out a few problems. I finally sourced an honest, hardworking school principal to perform witness duties. Her taxes were paid and there was not a single brown envelope anywhere in sight. Sadly such probity is now rare and we should seriously consider a change to the others listed in this outmoded inventory of nefarious professions. - Yours, etc.,
Michael Reynolds, Ashford, Co Wicklow.