I AM reliably informed that the reason the Government will not allow former residents of the Protestant evangelical Bethany Home to apply for redress is because the coffers are bare.

WITH the wonderful news from Pat Hickey that the Olympic torch for the 2012 Games stands an excellent chance of coming through Ireland in July on its way to London, might I suggest Derek Burnett and Philip Murphy as torchbearers?

I WOULD like to see a debate and referendum on our future in Europe.

I AM aware that this is not earth shattering news, but it does seem to have slipped in under the radar, i.e. that all cars more than 10 years old have to be tested every 12 months as from June 1.

STEVEN KING’S article (July 5) criticising what he terms the ‘crusade’ against human trafficking is undermined by the simple fact that he does not understand what the term means.

WHAT is it about Irish governments and overseas funding?

TOM COOPER (July 5) mischievously extracts from US military law in his attempt to rebut and ridicule Gary Adams’ appeal for a pardon for Irish World War Two alleged deserters.

ANOTHER rural post office is under threat, and it’s ours in Bansha, Co Tipperary, the cradle parish of Muintir na Tire.

RUAIRI QUINN should do more than threaten to take schools off the hands of the religious authorities; he ought to support a seizure of all vacant properties abandoned by religious orders in the country, and where the deeds are lost in time or gathering dust in the Vatican.

THE all-encompassing statements by Prof. Swerdlow — published recently in the Irish Examiner under the headline “Mobile phones do not cause cancer’ — ignores findings by world-renowned researchers such as Prof Olle Johansson, Orjan Halberg, Dr Magda Havas, Prof Andrew Goldsworthy, Dr George Carlo, Dr Annie Sasco, Dr Dimitris Panagopoulos and Dr Devra Davis, author of the book, Disconnect: The Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family.