Sir, – Derek Scally ("Merkel faces dilemma over revelations about double-agent", July 9th) provides a concise and informative overview of German–US relations in the aftermath of the most recent spying revelations.
However his depiction of this relationship as “a dialogue of the deaf” contradicts the analysis he presents in his article.
Deaf people in Ireland may be categorised by their preferred language – in the majority of cases this will be either Irish Sign Language or English.
“A dialogue of the deaf” in either language is the very opposite of the meaning suggested by Mr Scally’s use of the term, ie a failure to communicate.
This term perpetuates a profoundly misleading characterisation of deaf people. – Yours, etc,
DAVID O’BRIEN,
Currabeg,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.