May I be permitted a few observations on the letter by Paddy Sleeman (Jun 26) in response to mine in which I recalled the 75th. anniversary of the return of the nationalist Irish Brigade from Spain.

Much has been written about the courage of deserters, by commentators who have not the moral courage to face unwelcome facts.

I agree with Leo Armstrong (Letters, Jul 4) that what happened in relation to our debt situation at the recent summit of EU leaders was more due to Spain and Italy than it was to Ireland.

A high number of retail shops and stores seem to have a hard time pricing their goods on their shelves.

It has to be a very strong indication of the desire for Sinn Féin to achieve more success in the Republic that Martin McGuinness would tell Miriam O’Callaghan on RTE that he stayed with SDLP members who supported the IRA while he was on the run during the Troubles.

Rather than using the Central Bank building for another purpose, may I suggest that it is demolished and turned into a memorial garden for all those who lost their lives and the others who are suffering from the recklessness and incompetence of the regulator and banking system during the Bertie years!

So — after almost ten years and the wastage of over €55m of public monies — a curtain finally draws on the E voting machines fiasco (Irish Examiner, Jun 29).

Let’s get real.

The first handshake last week between Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness and Queen Elizabeth II was an important moment.

Your recent investigation into prostitution and the human misery it is causing could not be more timely and is an important contribution to the debate over whether or not to make it an offence to pay for sex.