Madam, – What Fintan O’Toole fails to mention (Opinion, May 4th) is that European citizens democratically elected the conservative majorities now dominating the three main European institutions, the Commission, Council and Parliament.
If we want a different type of Europe, then we need to vote for it. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Fintan O’Toole suggests we should “shout from the rooftops that the policies being imposed on Ireland are profoundly anti-European” (Opinion, May 3rd).
Ireland’s experience illustrates another sinister contradiction at the heart of the EU’s response to the financial crisis. Just a year ago the EU member states committed to lifting 20 million people out of poverty by 2020. The most recent data for Ireland (2009) shows, what many living with the harsh reality of the crisis already know: poverty is increasing. Lofty commitments to reducing poverty are directly undermined by austerity measures which disproportionately impact the most vulnerable.
How can the citizens of Europe support a transnational project which does not have their best interests at heart? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Fintan O’Toole’s article will I hope be the start of new ways of looking at ourselves and at Europe. Whatever happens, we have to learn again to live within our means. – Yours, etc,