Madam, – M. Ryan’s description of the ills of modern Ireland (April 30th) would be a frightening exposé if it were realistic.
Saying that Ireland is disintegrating is rather like saying the Cabinet is good-looking. Both comments push freedom of speech to pretty unacceptable limits.
The majority of people are not dying on the streets from anything more worrying than hangovers. Restaurants may no longer be full, but they are still half-full. I for one still find the money for Shiraz and Parmesan cheese. Like me, the youngest members of Ireland’s bourgeoisie will probably be sheltered from any serious recessionary depression by their parents’ indulgence and generosity.
Moreover, the litany of social problems Ms Ryan details – drugs, unemployment, crime – all these flourished as much in the heady days of Celtic Tiger bliss as they blossom now.
I must also admit to resenting Ms Ryan’s implied idealisation of an Ireland gone-by. It is not likely that exponential emigration in pre-Tiger Ireland was the product of a country that overflowed with employment or fulfilled every human longing.
Finally, seeing as though we are advertising our Government for any takers, I would like to propose a formal ad: “Nation of over-fed drinkers seeks miracle workers to establish Utopia. Failure does not matter. Re-election guaranteed.” – Yours, etc,
Madam, – One way of addressing the lack of financial and business experience at the Cabinet table is to utilise a mechanism in Article 28 (7) of the Constitution which states that up to two members of the government may be members of Seanad Éireann. Given that the taoiseach can nominate 11 members to that body, surely this would be a way of appointing two individuals with the required experience as government ministers? (Article 28 (7) also states that they cannot hold the positions of taoiseach, tánaiste or minister for finance; these three positions must be held by members of Dáil Éireann).
However, in order to implement this immediately, it would require two of those senators nominated by Bertie Ahern in 2007 to stand down. From that list, the names of Fiona O’Malley and Ciaran Cannon jump out, both of whom were nominated at the time because of their membership of the Progressive Democrats.
Wouldn’t it be a fitting final act by the PDs if both of these senators were to sacrifice their Seanad positions? In the national interest, of course. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Padraic O’Connor (Opinion, April 30th) is wrong when he says that “Ireland has been, and continues to be, judged harshly for the errors of the past”.
Ireland has been judged fairly and many errors are still being made today, the latest of which is the unwillingness to nationalise the reckless big banks and allow credit to flow again to small and medium sized businesses.
As he rightly points out, until corporate governance is remedied Ireland Inc. will continue to lack credibility internationally.
Lack of credibility will, of itself, be the single biggest hindrance to recovery and future prosperity. Cronyism, in particular, needs to be tackled head-on, but there is scant evidence of this happening. We have arrived at the station . . . all change please. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – TG Molyneux, (May 4th) astutely warns of the possibility of others happily coming to Ireland in order “to run the country, properly, competently and honestly for us . . .” I beg to suggest that such entities would and could in fact, be running it for themselves. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Having watched in horror, like so many others, the unfolding banking fiasco and the Government’s fumbling, destructive and ineffective attempts to deal with it, I have come to the conclusion that the banks should be allowed to face their fate alone.
The money being put into the banks in the vague hope that they will start lending to businesses, should be given instead directly to those businesses so our economy might start moving again, as suggested by both the ICTU and Ibec.
Far from a collapse of the banks meaning the end of the Irish economy, as the Minister for Finance continually asserts, the rescue of the banks is the recipe for economic doom.
In this case the cure is definitely worse than the disease, it’s time to leave the patients to their fate. – Yours, etc,