Taking to the street

Sir, - Dick Walsh (Opinion, October 30th) questions my remarks on a recent edition of RTE Radio's Saturday View regarding the…

Sir, - Dick Walsh (Opinion, October 30th) questions my remarks on a recent edition of RTE Radio's Saturday View regarding the reaction of society to the scandals that have affected Ireland.

In a debate arising from comparisons with the Jack Lynch era, I made the valid point that were this country not experiencing such an economic boom, with unemployment levels and inflation much lower than in the past, the reaction of the ordinary public to the plethora of scandals, financial and political, might be very different.

I suggested that people might take to the streets. It was clear from my tone and statement that I was talking about the possibility of angry rebellion on the streets of this country in relation to the issues already mentioned.

Mr Walsh dryly describes my conclusion as "astonishing" and goes on to refer to the nurses' strike, with members of the profession on the street as I spoke. He also refers to a possible future protest by SIPTU members on tax evasion.

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The nurses' strike concerned genuine grievances over pay and conditions. At no time did any of the union officials relate it to a reaction to scandals. The SIPTU march has yet to happen. No-one has yet taken to the streets here in radical protest to demand reform arising from the issues I cited.

Mr Walsh has misunderstood what I said and then, in classic fashion, taken me to task for it. - Yours, etc.,

Fergal Bowers, News Editor, Irish Medical News, Dundrum, Dublin 14.