Madam, - Mr Micheál Martin's plan for a national programme to encourage people to exercise more to counter increasing rates of obesity is commendable (The Irish Times, April 17th).
However, it will take more than a new national sports stadium located far from everywhere except Dublin, plus sporadic national activity days, to induce greater physical activity among the population.
Without a national infrastructure of indoor sports halls that can be used for year-round football, field sports, athletics, and adolescent favourites such as rollerblading and skateboarding, it is hardly surprising that the devil tempts the idle bodies with less healthy pastimes.
Mr Martin's reply that a national stadium would be a statement to young people about how sport was valued in society is insufficient. Make a statement with State investment in sports facilities and then young people might start to listen. - Yours, etc.,
NIALL O'DONOGHUE, Narva, Finland.