Europe, Ireland and asylum

Sir , – Thanks to the watchful eye of Kitty Holland, we have become aware that the long-awaited commitment to the implementation of the McMahon report has failed to appear in the Government's programme ("Government pledge on asylum reform report dropped", May 14th).

The treatment of asylum seekers, including direct provision, needs to be addressed once and for all. It is a matter of justice and should not to be treated as a political football.

If this bias against the implementation of the recommendations of the McMahon report is allowed to continue, then this issue will surely come back to haunt us in the future. – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN BUTLER,

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Malahide, Co Dublin.

Sir, – Kevin Ryan (May 14th) accuses Jane Ann McKenna of Médecins Sans Frontières Ireland (May 13th) of saying little that was interesting or new in her letter. I thought she revisited the parable of the Samaritan, which may not be new, but is it not still interesting? – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL WILLIAMS,

Dublin 6.