Madam, - Séamas de Barra (April 14th) mentions meeting many cancer patients in St Luke's Hospital, Dublin who were native Irish speakers from the West of Ireland.
Might I respectfully suggest that if our health boards presided over a world-class health service, such patients would not have to travel hundreds of miles to receive treatment that should be available in their own region.
When our ailing health service has been fully resuscitated and all patients, regardless of means or tongue, are treated with timely, convenient and appropriate care, I shall have no quibble with a Minister for Health who spends what is left from his budget on resuscitating the Irish language.
We are constantly being told about the 96,000 people on the payroll of our health service. It might be opportune to ask what they are doing. - Yours, etc.,
Dr MAURICE GUÉRET, Fortfield Road, Dublin 6w.