Madam, - The media's hounding, particularly Vincent Browne, of the Taoiseach about his personal circumstances has reached a new low. Not satisfied with raking over the coals arising from his marital separation, as you did last year, you now want to focus on money his landlord spent improving the landlord's own home. Is there any chance that the people of Ireland might be allowed to focus on the real election issues during this campaign, such as health, education, housing, crime and the environment? - Yours, etc,
JENNIFER ALLEN, Lanesville, Monkstown, Co Dublin.
Madam, - I am sick and tired of reading about Bertie's £30,000 sterling (equal to weekly wage of a Premiership football player) during this election. I want to know about the issues that concern me such as pensions, health and the environment - these issues that will tell us how our country will be run for the next five years. Please concentrate on these matters and leave the sideshow to the tribunals. - Yours, etc,
TONY CLYNE, Courtown Harbour, Gorey, Co Wexford.
A chara, - Following the recent interrogation by Vincent Browne of the Taoiseach, I think that valid questions have been asked - and more importantly , have now been answered. Now that a line seems to have been drawn in the sand, one can but hope that RTÉ will interrogate Enda Kenny with the same ferocity on his record in government and his credentials to lead this country. Balance is essential in election coverage. However, this has sadly been lacking thus far. - Is mise le meas,
PETER DORIS, Cabinteely Green, Cabinteely, Dublin 18.
Madam, - As someone who voted PD/FF last time out, and doesn't think they did too bad a job, I'm getting a little peeved with the Fianna Fáil attempt at a Jedi Mind Trick over Bertie's finances. Constantly telling us that no one cares about it does not make it so.
It is not normal for a minister for finance not to have a bank account. It is not normal to get £30,000 in cash from your landlord. It is not normal to sign books of blank cheques, and there are some of us who think it's just plain weird.
Fianna Fáil has done a lot of good things for the country, and Bertie is a decent man who has delivered a lot of the good things. But if he and his party colleagues can't see how peculiar this whole affair is, then they have been cocooned in government for too long.
We'd actually be doing them a favour to send them away from the pressures of government for a few years, to have a little lie-down in a dark room. - Yours, etc,
JASON O'MAHONY, Coppinger Glade, Stillorgan, Co Dublin