Sir, – In the past, whenever a president delivered a prepared speech on a matter that concerned national policy it had added significance because it was assumed to be given with the prior authority and advice of the government as specified under Article 13.9: The powers and functions conferred on the President by this Constitution shall be exercisable and performable by him [sic] only on the advice of the Government . . .”.
Can we take it then that the views President Higgins expressed in his DCU speech were endorsed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and therefore represent the Government’s outlook? – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL ANDERSON,
Moyclare Close,
Baldoyle, Dublin 13.
Sir, – One of the reasons neo-liberal ideology has remained largely unchallenged in many parts of the public arena, despite its catastrophic results, is that people, including politicians, who set the agenda have been beneficiaries of policies which have seen an enormous widening of the pay gap between people at the top and the bottom. The presidency is an example; media panjandrums another.
President Higgins has put neo-liberalism on the agenda. Desmond FitzGerald (September 25th) is right: either the presidential lifestyle is trimmed, or the incumbent is not in a position to criticise neo-liberalism with credibility.
There is a precedent. President De Gaulle used to pay the electricity bill for the Elysée Palace for the time after 6pm when the workers there had gone home. – Yours, etc,
EOIN DILLON,
Ceannt Fort,
Mount Brown,
Dublin 8.