A nation in crisis: where are writers and artists?

IN her letter (February 12), Gretta Hurley suggests that in some measure we are all to blame for the mess the country is in on several fronts.

It’s hard to argue with that: certainly in any other country in Europe — in the midst of such Government fumbling, the obvious arrogance of the banking institutions and countless thousands facing the dole — people would have risen up and taken to the streets at this stage.

In Ireland, however, we prefer to remain asleep in front of the TV or to argue drunkenly in the pub.