Sir, - Surely your editorial (October 11th) paper was a less than balanced comment on the death of baby Marian Howe. You confined your comments solely to the orphanage and the Sisters of Mercy, but this is to ignore many other aspects of this tragedy, perhaps others that we would prefer not to mention.
You focus on the orphanage and support calls for a public inquiry. But why just about the running of Goldenbridge and similar institutions? Mrs Howe told Marian Finucane on RTE radio last Friday how her husband went to the Garda and reported the death of his daughter and the fact that her legs were burned. Nothing happened. Marion Howe was brought to St Ultan's Hospital. Did the staff there take any action? What about the actions of the coroner at the time? Was there something that could have been done?
In many ways the orphanage, the Garda St Ultan's were all sad examples of a less enlightened time. It is unlikely that what happened in Goldenbridge then could happen today. Why? Because, thank God, society would not tolerate it. We are, thankfully, more enlightened when it comes to children and their place in our world. This doesn't excuse what happened but it adds some perspective and some context.
If there is to be an inquiry, and maybe such is needed, then let us look not just at Goldenbridge but at the wider situation: the Garda, other health workers and services involved, the Department of Health actions at that time, the role of the Coroner's office, etc. - Yours, etc.,
Templeroan Park, Dublin 16.