Sir, - I refer to the first sentence in Dermot Ahern's Opinion-page article last Saturday.
He wrote: "Over the past few months there has been much emphasis on political issues which do not directly affect the lives of the vast majority of our people."
If the political issues to which the Minister referred are those which make up our daily diet of sleaze, corruption, lies, half-truths, self-serving bouts of amnesia, and every form of spin known to this Government and its advisers, then I for one would like to inform the Minister that these issues most certainly affect my life.
They fill me with a feeling of disgust at the manner in which this Government evades its responsibilities to so many of the disadvantaged while at the same time helping its backers to feather their nests.
I feel a sense of shame when I see the posturing of our leaders on the international stage, and think of their performance at home.
I am appalled at the damage done to the democratic process by the constant exposition of more and more political twisting and turning, accompanied by a denial of accountability.
While I cannot speak for anyone else, I can assure Mr Ahern, from conversations I have had with a broad spectrum of people in recent months, that my feelings are shared by many, particularly by those who are old enough to remember the days when we viewed our leaders as men and women of honour and integrity. - Yours, etc.,
Liam Curham, The Folly, Waterford.