Reaction to Sargent resignation

Madam, – If the resignations continue, at this rate we’ll be rid of this Government and have the country back on track in no…

Madam, – If the resignations continue, at this rate we’ll be rid of this Government and have the country back on track in no time at all! – Yours, etc,

TIM Mc DONNELL,

Harbour Road,

Howth,

Co Dublin.

Madam, – What’s the world coming to when a Sargent has to resign over talking to a garda? – Yours, etc,

DOUGLAS SLOANE,

Cedar Avenue,

Bishopstown, Cork.

Madam, – Daniel Carry (February 24th) is “heartened by the strong ethical standard espoused by Trevor Sargent in his swift and gallant resignation”. May I remind him that Mr Sargent was involved in unlawfully contacting a garda about a case involving a constituent, and that he stepped down only after his actions were made public?

A more impressive ethical standard might have been espoused by avoiding involvement in this incident completely. Failing that, let us suppose a moment of ethical weakness came upon him, and he found himself, too late, already involved: why would he not have acknowledged his guilt and responsibility the moment he returned to his senses and realised his error? Is what has come to pass for laudable action in the political playground of Leinster House a sign of the times? – Yours, etc,

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KA MURPHY,

Aherla, Cork.

Madam, – Trevor Sargent should have resigned the minute he posted his letter to the garda, not when he was found out. – Yours, etc,

JOHN ROCHE,

Millpark Road,

Enniscorthy,

Co Wexford.

Madam, – It has long been part and parcel of Irish political life for private citizens to beseech TDs to intervene for them with public servants to get jobs in county councils, to get on housing lists, to get benefits paid, and so on. Sorting out matters with the Garda Síochána is high on that list of “problem-solving”.

The only explanation for this repellent practice is that private individuals think the intervention of TDs will alter the course of affairs – that their job applications will be more favourably considered, that they will receive State benefits that they are not entitled to, that prosecutions can be stopped, etc. All of these, if achieved, would mean that other people would be treated unfairly and illegally.

Unlike our elected body politic, the public servants of this nation are quintessentially honest and I cannot see them favourably receiving such requests from elected representatives.

These TDs’ letters should be recognised for what they are: hollow acts to improve the chances of re-election and nothing more. Find me a politician who has never written such a letter.

Mr Sargent has resigned his minister’s position. We have lost a good politician. The more unctuous characters remain. It’s interesting that this news should break so soon after Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea got the heave-ho with help from the Green Party. – Yours, etc,

JOHN LARKIN,

Marine Drive,

Sandymount, Dublin 4.

Madam, – Would it be too much to expect that the Government will set an example to us all and not fill the current Ministerial vacancies?

There is no need to have a dedicated post of Minister for Defence. The role should be added to that of the Minister for Justice. In this time of financial restraint, would it not be wise to do something useful with the savings on salary, Ministerial car and garda drivers, etc? This would set example for what the Government expect from the public service. – Yours, etc,

SEAN FINN,

Glanmire, Co Cork.

Madam, – I was shocked and saddened to see one of the most honest and hardworking TDs in the Dáil set up in such a cynical and miserly manner.

While Mr Sargent may not have been acting according to the letter of the law, it would appear that he held the moral high ground.

Whoever brought Mr Sargent’s unlawful faux pas to light has done nothing to serve the public good and in an already murky political scene is quite simply the lowest of the low. – Yours, etc,

ROGER KAVANAGH.

Rosse Court Heights,

Lucan, Co Dublin.

Madam, – Cui bono? Who benefits from the leaking of a letter of representation written by Trevor Sargent? Certainly not Fianna Fáil, even though we know that Fianna Fáil is a tribal rather than a thoughtful party? The Opposition gains in that it increases the likelihood of a general election in which it fully expects to be the main winner. However, the Green Party also benefits. Being seen as unfairly besmirched by Fianna Fáil can generally help smaller parties. The PDs doubled their seats in 1992 on the back of the then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds stating that Des O’Malley had been dishonest.

Could it be that in nearly three years of coalition with Fianna Fáil the Greens are faster learners than they let on? – Yours, etc,

JOHN KENNY,

Monkstown Valley,

Co Dublin.

Madam, – The headline “Greens’ first TD and leader who won over sceptics”(February 24th) is incorrect in so far as the honour of being the first Green TD lies with Roger Garland, who was elected to the Dáil in the 1989 general election, the same year Trevor Sargent stood unsuccessfully for the European Parliament.

Mr Garland refused to engage in constituency clinic work as he did not believe that this should be the function of members of the Oireachtas. He failed to be re-elected in 1992 – the year Mr Sargent won his own seat – but went on to assist in the reform of An Taisce and the establishment of several environmental organisations – our own, and Keep Ireland Open, of which he is the current chairman.

It appears that The Irish Times is not alone in overlooking his uniquely principled contribution to Irish politics. – Yours, etc,

TONY LOWES,

Director,

Friends of the Irish

Environment,

Allihies, Co Cork.

A chara, – Will this become known as the Garda/Sargent affair? – Is mise,

ROB LITTLE,

Ardmayle,

Cashel, Co Tipperary.