Surely the question is not whether psychiatry can make gays less abominable, but rather — if used sensitively — it could help poor Iris to come to terms with her delusions? Maybe a spell on the couch might assist Sammy Wilson in realising that his grasp of science just about qualifies him to use a manual tin opener, not to pontificate on global warming.

Perhaps Caitriona Ruane could be led gently to understand that she is not really fit to organise the education of anything more complex than a mollusc.

On the other hand, could it be that it's the rest of us who need our heads examined for electing lunatics to run the asylum!

Brian Scott

Belfast