Sir, - My wife is a nurse. In a few weeks we will be tightening our belts because she will be on strike. She does not want to be on strike - she wants to do her job - but unfortunately we are living in a country that does not value public sector workers highly. I would like to see people who teach our children, protect us from harm and take care of us when we are sick or dying regarded in the same way as our entrepreneurs - valued for their contribution to our society.
The Government is offering us a watered-down version of Thatcherism. The silence from the Opposition benches is deafening as they too appear bent on offering us middle-of-the-road politics.
Politicians are public servants too and I hope they remember this at the next election. Their predecessors have not covered themselves in glory and the current crop don't appear to be strong enough to stand up and say they want a society of justice and equality where our public servants are respected and valued for the work they do. I hope that none of them has to work in the conditions that exist currently in our health service. What price our health, welfare and children? An Ansbacher deposit, maybe? - Is mise,
Barry Cunningham, Collegewood Park, Clane, Co Kildare.