Sir, – Anyone who is surprised by Regina Doherty stating that the national identity card is mandatory for certain services has obviously been living in a comfortable bubble for the past five years.
Has anyone in the news media had any interaction with the Department of Social Protection recently? Has anyone in the news media had any interaction with the Department of Social Protection recently? A large section of the population has been hearing this “news” story and asking why is it so prominent, when people have already been told in no uncertain terms that they must possess the card in order to claim a pension or unemployment benefit. That we’re in the silly season has little to do with this. RTÉ News interviewed the Minister in front of the destruction wrought by the flooding in Inishowen last week and got the ID card scoop.
Meanwhile, the victims of that destruction wonder if the Minister also perhaps made some comments to RTÉ about how her department is responding to this crisis.
The so-called silly season is not based in any kind of reality about lack of news. It is solely the product of a news media that is detached from the reality of ordinary life and what constitutes news for the majority of people. – Yours, etc,
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ADRIAN GRANT,
Buncrana,
Co Donegal.