My thanks to all who have read, recommended or contributed to this diary thread which I have found to be an interesting exchange of views.  I'm considering doing a follow-up on the competing narratives which have been articulated here which may help to lift the discussion out of a mainly Irish context. The conflict between faith based and social science based narratives may be of particular relevance in the US, Africa and other parts of the world where similar problems have emerged.

notes from no w here