Sir, - Wouldn't it make for a happy Christmas if the Government authorised temporary work permits for asylum-seekers? Wouldn't it be an appropriate gesture to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights? Wouldn't it be in everyone's interest?
The Government could transfer at a stroke the financial burden placed on it by maintaining asylum-seekers as unemployed to the private sector. The asylum-seekers could have some human dignity restored to them. The public could worry less about crime and begging and might adopt a more Christian approach to the foreign exiles we claim to shelter.
Think about it. It's common sense really and it could be a reality with a little goodwill from all concerned. - Yours, etc., Donal Denham,
Fairlawns, Dalkey, Co Dublin.