Sir, - One can empathise with John Waters (Opinion, September 7th) in his latest panegyric on behalf of unmarried fathers, but is he being truly realistic when he says that "the only option open to a man in this situation is to apply immediately to the courts for joint guardianship of his child"?
As Mr Waters apparently has done considerable research into this subject, it must have seemed obvious that the number of men who father children out of wedlock and wish to seek joint custody of the infant is minuscule. In fact, in countries where statistics are available, the overwhelming majority of fathers completely deny their responsibility; and in exceptional cases where court proceedings are initiated, some men do admit their guilt after DNA tests prove incontrovertible.
On this particular subject Mr Waters has become monotonous. He is justified in presenting his point of view, but when emotion overtakes reason it is time he considered the much greater injustice: that of the unmarried mother who has been victimised. - Yours, etc.,
Patrick McGrath, Scurmore, Enniscrone, Co Sligo.