Sir, – Further to “We should thank Charles Haughey for Ireland’s Booker Prize success” (Justine McCarthy, Opinion & Analysis, August 4th), Haughey certainly did the Irish retail book trade some service when in 1982 he removed VAT on books. Prior to this, the Irish pound had plunged against sterling making books, most of which were imported from the UK, very expensive. Bookshops were on their knees, but with the removal of VAT they recovered and prospered. For this, at least, thank you Charlie! – Yours, etc,
JOHN DAVEY,
(Retired bookseller),
Kilternan,
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Co Dublin.
