Madam, - Please allow me to comment on Liam Kieran's letter of today, June 20th.
Indeed the French do have significantly more time to spend with their children or in the pursuit of pleasure.
In fact, 10.2 per cent of them can spend as much time as they like because they are unemployed.
They are unemployed because of a system which expects employers to pay the equivalent of 40 employer's PRSI which, along with extremely high levels of government debt, pays for the fabulous health and education systems which we enjoy.
All of this has resulted in an economy which is in an extremely precarious position. Due to the uncompetitiveness of French companies brought about by the factors outlined above, jobs are being haemorrhaged to the east at an alarming rate.
This will lead to an even more difficult economic situation and exacerbate already serious problems such as the shortfall in the national pension fund.
I am sure the wealth of the Celtic Tiger could be distributed more equitably, but I am equally sure that the French model is not the correct one for Ireland. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN LEONARD St. Sauveur Le Vicomte, France.