Sir, – We are very quick in Ireland to criticise an error of judgment or practice by public service professionals, including politicians, which is often followed by “demands” for an individual’s resignation.
While justified on occasion, it strikes me that such calls ultimately do the nation a disservice. In sport and in business, failure is an inevitable step preceding success. What collectively we do not seem to realise is we ultimately need are people with experience, and valuable experience is born of past mistakes. Rushing to divest the State of people who make mistakes only leaves us governed by those more concerned with not taking risks, or worse, those who make mistakes but work extraordinarily hard to hide them. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN MEADE,
Mullingar,
Co Westmeath.