Shame on me for my ignorance, but I have only just found out that Mr Alan Shatter TD is Minister for Justice, Equality AND Defence.

When I read a recent article by Fiachra Ó Cionnaith (Irish Examiner, May 30) which headlined that our alcohol consumption was 700 times the upper limit laid down by those in the know, I was puzzled by this for a bit.

On behalf of Cork ARC Cancer Support House I would like to thank Avon Cosmetics Ireland, and in particular all company representatives involved in the company’s Breast Cancer Crusade, who worked with such enthusiasm and generosity to raise funds and awareness to provide a dedicated breast cancer support service at Cork ARC.

Your editorial of May 30 highlights our short memories and our infinite capacity for hypocrisy and denial.

It was only in mid-May that the Referendum Commission severely criticised the €1m information campaign conducted by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in advance of the referendum to amend the Constitution, on the grounds that it was costly and confusing and that the minister did allow sufficient time for the Commission to prepare an adequate information campaign.

Given the proposal to abolish the Senate, and given the national debate on alcohol abuse, is it not time to remove the Dáil bar, since many places of work are introducing mandatory drink/drugs testing.

Most Dublin citizens are aware the council has removed the city’s public toilets, citing the catch-all excuse of antisocial behaviour.

We ‘do’ talk, we ‘do’ committees, reports and investigations.

Some reactions to the Prime Time revelations concerning the abuse of children in childcare seem wide of the mark.

Regarding the sub-standard practices of childcare providers, I am delighted that the RTÉ investigation has exposed failings. It is high time that parents, and society, examined the environment our children are in daily, for hours.