Sir, - I never cease to be amazed at the double standards in Irish thinking, as illustrated by the campaign by the independent candidate in Cork South West, Ms Aine Ni Chonaill, reported in your columns (May 27th). Ms Ni Chonaill is campaigning about supposedly high levels of immigration by foreign nationals, especially "hippies" from Britain. It may have escaped Ms Ni Chonaill's notice, but people in Britain have had to put up with Irish travellers, who are entitled to a range of welfare benefits on arrival, for decades. Irish people have emigrated throughout the world as "economic migrants", now known as the Irish diaspora, and so we should be equally welcoming to those who wish to make their lives among us.
Ms Ni Chonaill should also be aware that, as fellow EU nationals, the British and German people against whom she is campaigning have every right to live in Ireland. We live in a global economy and people should be allowed to live and work wherever they like in the world. The issue of begging, raised in the same column, is a different matter and should be dealt with firmly and with compassion, whether it is done by Irish people or "asylum seekers". Yours, etc.,
Hollybrook,
Bray,
Co. Wicklow.