Sir, – What a wonderful Christmas. Not a sound from Dáil Éireann, not a whimper from Brussels, not a whiff of bull from politicians. Would it be possible to pay them to stay on extended holidays and save us the grief of having to listen to them? Would the country’s mood lift to hear they had gone to a “Gathering” in some far-off land. I think we would all be happy for another month without them. – Yours, etc,