Madam, - It is for God to judge the man, but I feel entitled as a citizen to judge the public servant, minister and taoiseach.
We the citizens of this republic deserve high standards in high places. It was wrong, wrong, wrong that a Taoiseach would diminish his office by soliciting money from prominent business figures to fund his lavish lifestyle.
It was wrong that a head of government had little respect for the tax code or, as we learnt from the McCracken tribunal, for paying his debts.
It was hypocritical to tell us to tighten our belts while he lived like a prince.
On the airwaves, many people have been reminiscing about Charlie our "beloved rouge". We should not be so sentimental. If we want this and future generations of politicians to represent us as we deserve, this is the time to examine the standards which must apply. - Yours, etc,
MARGARET WILLIAMS, Alden Grove, Douglas, Cork.
Madam, - "Many hard words will be written. . .Now is not the time, on the announcement of his death, to intrude upon his family's mourning".
What consolation these words, similar to many spoken and written during the past two days, must bring Charlie Haughey's family! The hypocrisy and implied threat are chilling.
Charlie Haughey was a man like any other with virtues and flaws. There is no political capital to be made by raking over past sins at this time of sorrow for his wife and family.
Analysis of his amazing career is best left to the historians of the future and would allow his family mourn his death for some time to come with love and happy memories. Let the vultures keep their stones in their own pockets for themselves. - Yours, etc,
JOAN HICKEY, Lower Kilmacud Road, Dublin 14.
Madam, - The death of Charles Haughey has brought grief to his family and friends as sincere as that following the demise of any private individual. Like almost every act of his public life, however, his death is a matter of immense public interest. For better or worse, Mr Haughey is a significant figure in modern Irish history about whom there will always be intense disagreement.
Having listened in recent weeks to the noises from the party he once led, my initial reaction to hearing the news of his death was the hope that we might be spared Bertie's "Pearse" to Charlie's "O'Donovan Rossa".
Just 12 months from a general election which will define the modern Ireland in terms of national self-respect, I anticipate the torturous clichés and pathetic scrambling to be "in shot" with a feeling of nausea and a conviction that neither the Irish public nor the late Mr Haughey, whatever his faults, should be subjected to such an unedifying display. - Yours, etc,
KEVIN HIGGINS, College Farm Crescent, Newbridge, Co Kildare.
Madam, - The saddest legacy of Charles Haughey's time as Taoiseach, in my opinion, is that by his actions he helped to make so many of the electorate indifferent to politics and politicians. - Yours, etc,
RICHARD BURKE, Springfield Court, Ennis, Co Clare.
A chara, - In its obituary of December 3rd, 1892 on the death of the railway tycoon and stockmarket speculator, Jay Gould, the New York Times wrote, when comparing him with his peers, that "in serving their own ends they were serving public ends, while Gould was a negative quantity in the development of the country where he was not an absolutely retarding and destructive quantity."
The obituary concluded: "Accordingly, any remarks upon him, now that he is dead, which do not sharply distinguish him from men who have acquired wealth in the pursuit of useful ends by honourable means, must have a corrupting and demoralising effect upon the young men of the United States".
Mutatis mutandis, might not these words serve as part of a fitting obituary for the late Charles Haughey, a corrupt and corrupting influence on the public life of this State? - Is mise,
LIAM BYRNE, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
Madam, - Charles Haughey's death provides further proof of our almost endless capacity for hypocrisy as politicians and commentators who vilified Mr Haughey in life now queue up to find positive things to say about him in death.
The justification offered is often to do with the feelings of the family at this difficult time for them. However, we should not forget it was Mr Haughey who betrayed his wife with a very public affair over a period of three decades and that his family were, and continue to be, material financial beneficiaries of his extraordinary funding arrangements.
The anecdotes now filling the media tend to portray Mr Haughey as a loveable rogue, rather than as the man who must bear most responsibility for the corruption that became almost endemic in the biggest political party in the State and, as revealed in the various tribunals, spread its tentacles into many areas of public life and administration.
Whatever credit he may be due for some of his contributions to public life, his death should not now be a coat of whitewash for his misdeeds. - Yours, etc,
PETER MOLLOY, Haddington Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Charles Haughey did a lot of things during his political career, both good and bad. On one side, he was responsible for many changes which showed great vision and an eye for the future. On the other side, the controversies he was involved in showed a sort of Ireland which was still mired in the past.
Mr Haughey also provided a rich vein of material for Dermot Morgan and company to exploit on Scrap Saturday in the early 1990s. For all his faults, history will show him to be one of the most important Irish political figures of the late 20th century.
May he rest in peace. - Yours, etc,
NIALL TWAMLEY, Hillcrest Rise, Blarney Road, Cork.
Madam, - Ever since Charles J Haughey "brazened out" political difficulties, scandals and more, it seems that every government minister in such or similar circumstances refuses to resign or even accept political responsibility for inappropriate or incompetent actions or inactions. This has been especially apparent with the current Cabinet.
It is clear that one aspect of Mr Haughey's legacy is still very influential within political circles and will live with us for some time to come, continuing to blight the honour and dignity of political office in this State. - Yours, etc,
PAUL O'MAHONY, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
Madam, - So long, Charlie, sad to see you go. Farewell to a man who did this State much service. He was his own man - the Roy Keane of Irish politics. - Yours, etc,
ROBERT O'SULLIVAN, Bantry, Co Cork.
Madam, - The last great leader of the Irish people has fallen, and we are all the less for it. Sinne fianna fáil atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn. - Is mise,
VAL NOLAN, Monashionnach, Ardagh, Co Limerick.
Madam, - It is customary not to speak ill of the dead. In the case of Charles Haughey there is no need. The unvarnished truth is sufficient to tarnish his reputation forever. - Yours, etc,
GORDON DAVIES, Briar Wood, Bray, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - Charlie Haughey, RIP - one of the ultimate political characters who made life interesting for all of us! History will regard him as one of the essential personalities of our time - a courageous leader, a superb politician, a tough character, a "sans-culotte" who refused to bow to the establishment and, in the end, just an imperfect human being like the rest of us. God keep you, Charlie! - Yours, etc,
PATRICK HURLEY, New York, USA.
Madam, - The saturation coverage resulting from the death of Charles Haughey will dilute the saturation coverage of the world cup. For this at least, he will have done the State some service. - Yours, etc,
AJ ROUS, Shanganagh Road, Killiney, Co Dublin.