Bad example . . . Banks . . . Tax hikes . . . Purgatory
My faith in the ability of the unions to reform our ailing health service was not exactly bolstered by the sight of one of their negotiators puffing on a cigarette in front of the cameras on his way into the talks in Croke Park.
Our hospitals spend almost €1bn to treat smoking-related illnesses every year, so what kind of example does this set?
Barry Walsh
Dublin 3
- TODAY, as we "recapitalise" our banks, thereby mortgaging our children's and grandchildren's future, I notice we may no longer be in PIIGS. However the Joycean quotation comes to mind, "Ireland is an old sow that eats its farrow", or Padraig Pearse's "An clann a dhiol a mhathair".
Meanwhile, those ordinary people who are in negative equity continue to soldier on and are being told "you knew what you were doing".
Brendan Cafferty
Ballina, Mayo
- Well done Robert O'Sullivan (Letters, March 30) for rebuking my rebuke; I laughed out loud.
Declan Doyle
Kilkenny
- Low-paid civil servants whose salaries are guaranteed not to be reduced in the next Budget will suffer increased taxation instead. Simple.
Gerry O'Donnell
Dublin 15
- From paedophile priests and professional pundits to a prevaricating Pontiff, all are telling us that we, the public, must pay for their sins.
One is tempted to say that it's a perfect description of living in purgatory, except it is probably just a hellish nightmare.
Liam Power
Ballina, Co Mayo
- This awful, spineless Government has now ensured that there is no chance of any recovery. I look forward to a transforming IMF as soon as possible.
K Nolan
Carrick-on-Shannon
Irish Independent
