Sir, - I find that Garret Fitzgerald's statement of August 6th totally defies logic. How can he claim that someone who chooses to state on the Labour Force Survey that "he or she is engaged in home duties, is in fact, unemployed and seeking work?"
Would it not register on him that someone engaged in caring full time at home for child/children, or an old or sick person, was in fact working, and therefore was not free to seek other employment? The fact that this work is unpaid, even though it contributes £15 billion to GDP, just shows how illogical the whole system is.
The Government has got to decide if these people are working or not. If not, then they are all entitled to sign the Live Register. If they are working then they should be paid a living wage, and have the same rights as other workers. That is logical. - Yours, etc.,
Glebe House,
Midleton,
Co Cork.