Madam, – I have been waiting for a business colleague’s passport for over three weeks in order to plan a business trip. We badly need to go on this trip to advance our business activities. Like everyone else I am being held to ransom by the activities (or lack thereof) of the Passport Office.
The behaviour is unacceptable in any climate. Isn’t it time to consider privatising such essential services as the Passport Office? The operator would have to retender for the work say every five years. I imagine we wouldn’t have to deal with the current nonsense ever again. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Shortly my passport will have to be renewed. Like many others I am somewhat worried about the length of time it may take to complete the process. However, I will not be one of the so-called outraged public that seem to appear regularly on news and comment programmes. I will not be one of those who chose to vent their anger on the men and women who have the misfortune to deal with the people who have featured on these programmes. I will not scream and shout and hammer on the glass partitions at lower-paid civil servants. I will not threaten them or harangue them, as I understand exactly why they are in this dispute situation.
For months prior to the announcement of the demise of the Celtic Tiger we were bombarded with the news of how cushy the jobs of those in the protected public service were, how overpaid they were and how overstaffed the departments were. Ibec, ISME, various members of the press and media and the Government have created an atmosphere that has split the Irish workforce while at the same time decimating wages and living standards of all members of society, excluding those living in the rarified atmosphere of the aforementioned groups.
These cuts have affected all members of the middle- and working-class sections of society. Billions have been poured into the banks to maintain the grossly over-inflated wages and Marbella-lifestyle of those who destroyed our society. If these billions had been used to help the recovery of the country, one would have no hesitation in saying yes. But to prop up Anglo Irish and other greedy banks and developers? I don’t think so.
I know where my protest will be aimed – and it is not at working people earning less per week than many of these untouchables spend on a business lunch. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – “Passport offices closed again” (Breaking News, March 19th). That’s one way to stem the tide of emigration, I suppose. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Immediately after the breakdown of talks with the Government late last year the lower- paid civil servants stated they intended to take industrial action in the new year.
I sent a letter to the unions suggesting they focus their industrial action directly against the Government administration, ie, that members of the union go on a go-slow in Dáil Éireann itself and not upset the public in general.
What they are doing today at the Passport Office is shooting themselves in the foot. They are losing the PR war, as it is the public whhich is suffering and not the Government which created the present scenario. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Oh what a relief to know that Ministers’ passports were not caught up in the 40,000 backlog prior to their recent exodus. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The behaviour of the staff in the Passport Office is a disgrace. The general public, which is paying for the staff’s secure pensionable jobs, is being held to ransom and caused untold inconvenience and stress.
As many of those applying for passports might be travelling with Ryanair, I would think that a good solution to the problem would be to put this office under the control of Michael O’Leary – that would be the end of this type of behaviour, which would not be tolerated anywhere other than the public service. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Perhaps instead of closing offices and inconveniencing citizens, the public service unions might consider opening their offices and giving the public a full service, but refuse to take in the cash or payments for such services? I suspect that might get them more public backing and a speedier response from Government. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – This year the Government and tourist board were pushing for staycations, to keep the money in the country. Now with the Passport Office debacle, voluntary staycations will change to involuntary, you-can’t-leave-the-country, vacations. A new term for this situation is IWOP, Irish With Out Passports. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Given the lengthy queues in Molesworth Street, perhaps those who are in desperate need of an Irish passport could be redirected to a certain foreign embassy in Dublin 4? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I see the CPSU accuses and warns others about issuing threats to it, regarding its actions that are causing chaos and grief to Irish citizens at the Passport Office.
It is a case of “the pot calling the kettle black”. With language and actions, Messrs Horan and Ronayne of the CPSU have been threatening and bullying Irish citizens and the nation since before Christmas.
At one stage, I recall them questioning why the public service was being singled out, pilloried and ridiculed in public opinion and the media compared with the private sector. The answer, as always, lies with themselves and their self-centred behaviour. This is the discredited behaviour from a bygone era and has no place in modern Ireland.
The CPSU and its members should never be surprised when it gets what it deserves, namely, no respect and bad press. – Yours, etc,