Madam, – A prerequisite in the provision of 24/7 services are the staff who are duty-bound to work antisocial hours. Premium pay is an acknowledgment by employers of the impact upon our families and our health of delivering such services. While I provide a high level of care to patients, I am first and foremost a professional trying to earn a living. Seán McGrath (Home News, October 29th) and my fellow public servants in the Dáil doubtlessly consider me a cost as opposed to a resource, and I object to their attempts to undermine my ability to provide for myself and my family. Perhaps if Messrs McGrath et al worked public holidays, 26 weekends per annum and night duty at six- weekly intervals, they might share my opinion that premium pay is core pay. – Yours, etc,